This book is a simple idea – François Truffaut interviews Alfred Hitchcock about his career. The simplicity makes for an engaging read. The book offers a unique look into the art of film. While it’s technically an interview, it reads more like a casual conversation between two people who are incredibly skilled at what they do. If you love behind-the-scenes history of movies, you must pick up this book. Hitchcock talks about everything from casting to costumes to set design for every movie he ever made.

The book starts with Hitchcock’s childhood and his first days making silent films in England in the 20’s. The interview traces his career all the way to 1966’s Torn Curtain. The concluding chapter includes a short interview on Frenzy, Hitch’s 1972 hit, and offers Truffaut’s comments on Topaz and Family Plot. It also gives a brief summary of The Short Night, a screenplay Hitch was working on shortly before his death. Truffaut also objectively examines the decline in quality of Hitchcock’s films toward the end of his career, and explains his interesting theory of great flawed films.