I don’t remember the script (which I read three or four years ago when it was called “Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho“) being as tart and droll as this. I’m encouraged. Anthony Hopkins has obviously nailed the Hitchcock way. It’s also clear that Helen Mirren matches him line for line. Reactions, please.

“Paramount executives did not want to produce the film and refused to provide the budget that Hitchcock received from them for previous films with the studio. Hitchcock decided to plan for Psycho to be filmed quickly and inexpensively, similar to an episode of his ongoing television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and hired the television series crew as Shamley Productions. He proposed this cost-conscious approach to Paramount but executives again refused to finance the film, telling him their sound stages were occupied or booked even though production was known to be in a slump.

“Hitchcock countered with the offer to finance the film personally and to film it at Universal-International if Paramount would distribute. He also deferred his director’s fee of $250,000 for a 60% ownership of the film negative. This offer was finally accepted. Hitchcock also experienced resistance from producer Herbert Coleman and Shamley Productions executive Joan Harrison, who did not think the film would be a success.” — from the Wiki page.