Psycho (1960)

Barry Germansky
Contributor
Despite Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho celebrating its 50th anniversary, this classic horror film has not exhausted all of its secrets.
Take to heart Anthony Perkins’ claim that Psycho is a comedy and focus on a generally unnoticed theme: arrogant people get caught up in the process of showboating and eventually attract danger. The horror and suspense come after the humour.
An office worker named Marion Crane steals a client’s $40,000 investment, flees the city and is later murdered by Norman Bates while taking a shower at his motel.
The rest of the film focuses on uncovering Bates’ dark past, which ultimately stems from some serious mommy issues.
The film’s humour sets the radical narrative in motion. A character gets too cocky and falls prey to someone who sees past the fac?ade and discovers the weaknesses beneath.
One of the least discussed yet most important comedic characters in Psycho is Tom Cassidy, the client who is the victim of Marion’s theft. Played by wonderful character actor Frank Albertson, Cassidy is a vulgar, shameless exhibitionist who flirts with Marion at the office, waving $40,000 in bills in front of her face.
After playfully referring to a bottle of liquor in her boss’ desk within earshot of the boss himself, Cassidy says to Marion, “You know, some- times I just can’t keep my mouth shut.” Cassidy doesn’t know how right he is, as Marion soon steals the money.
Cassidy is a colourful, exuberant character who generates laughs. He embodies the moral that Psycho is all about: arrogant people who think they control their fate and the world around them need to be taught a lesson.
As Hitchcock makes sure every naughty character gets their blood-soaked medicine, the dark comedy transforms into horror, not the other way around.
Hitchcock realized that comedy would allow him to be as wild, crazy and rebellious as he wanted, covering up the faults in credibility left in a straight horror film.
It is this multilayered approach to storytelling that let Hitchcock create the twists that made Psycho great, forever altering the landscape of modern art.