The Return of Richard Hannay
Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Hostages
In the summer of 1964, shortly after the disappointing opening of Marnie, Alfred Hitchcock told the press that his next film would be a return to his British roots, with an adaptation of John Buchan’s The Three Hostages. The story concerns a plan of the government to apprehend the leaders of a criminal operation on a certain date. To circumvent this, the criminals kidnap three children, and Richard Hannay is brought in to locate and recover the hostages.
No doubt, this was pleasing news for Universal Pictures, but Hitchcock’s announcement (as they often were during the mid-to-late 60’s) was premature. A year earlier, Hitchcock’s agents began negotiations to purchase the movie rights to The Three Hostages from Buchan’s estate, but failed to come to an agreement on the purchase price.
Hitchcock told Truffaut that he ultimately dropped the project because of its reliance on hypnotism, a device he felt does not translate plausibly to the screen. Hitchcock described a scene from the novel where the villain, Medina, has his blind mother hypnotize Hannay. Hitchcock started a search for a suitable writer, and even had Universal’s research department ascertain whether or not it was possible for a blind person to hypnotize someone.
This was a difficult time for Hitchcock. Earlier that year, Lew Wasserman had balked at Hitchcock’s plan to film James Barrie’s Mary Rose, for which Jay Presson Allen had already prepared a (rather faithful) script. And now Marnie was a disappointment. According to Donald Spoto, the director seemed unconcerned with the final product of Marnie, and this is evidenced by the film’s theatrical trailer where Hitchcock repeatedly makes disparaging remarks about his latest effort – hardly an effective method of bringing in an audience.
For years I have puzzled over Hitchcock’s apparent apathy for Marnie, especially since to me, it is one of his most honest and tender works. But the clincher came when I first read an item in Hitchcock’s production file for The Three Hostages. It is perhaps the most bizarre document in the Hitchcock Collection, precisely because its origins and the state-of-mind of its author can never be fully explained. On its face, the document appears to be an early draft of a sequence for a future script of The Three Hostages. In fact, it was at one time even catalogued that way by the Academy. However, it turns out that the pages are not a serious attempt at roughing out a script for The Three Hostages, but a rather unsubtle slight on Hitchcock’s Marnie which had only been in theaters for two weeks. The “script” contains numerous references to dialogue and situations in Marnie, which at times could be characterized as mean-spirited, but can be equally viewed as tongue-in-cheek.
While the exact authorship of the following is unknown, it is likely that it came from Hitchcock. (Note: the blocks of ‘XXXXX’s indicate characters that were typed-over on the actual pages.)
pp 7/7/64
"THE THREE HOSTAGES"
FADE IN:
1. EXT. WASHINGTON STREET - NIGHT - LONG SHOT (RAIN)
HIGH SHOT of street - a long row of identical Georgetown mansions, each with its three columns of clean but yellowish chipped marble. In the distance (too far actually for us to see) is the outline of the White House. On one of the street corners is a sign which reads, "Washington, D.C. - U.S.A." We should feel that we are inside the nation's capitol.
2. MED. SHOT
We see a chauffeured limousine pull up in front of an extremely handsome, massive, brownstone mansion. It is raining 'cats and dogs'. The chauffeur opens the door of the limousine as the doorman steps forward holding an umbrella. Out steps a well-dressed woman in furs, carrying a yellow handbag under her arm.
3. CLOSE-UP
The screen is filled with the yellow handbag held under the woman's arm. We follow the yellow handbag into the foyer and then we cut back to the street again. Another limousine pulls up -- another well-dressed woman -- another yellow handbag. The action speeds up into a MONTAGE of women, all carrying yellow handbags, which we follow into the foyer.
4. INT. RECEPTION AREA OF HOUSE
We see the receiving line. MEDINA is standing there with a limp. He greets the first guest.
MEDINA
Well, I swan! Mrs. Abercrombie- Smythe! My, that's a mighty elegant fur piece you have on.
MRS. A-S
Oh, here, let me give it to you, Mr. Medina.
She gives MEDINA the fur piece.
MEDINA
(catches his breath)
Well, I jus swan!
(fingers it lovingly, sensually)
How do I wear it?
MRS. A-S
(fixes the fur around MEDINA'S waist)
Like this...real high up under the crotch....
(stands back)
Smart. Very, very smart.
CUT TO:
5. ENTRANCE - MED. SHOT
In walks Richard Hannay, his finely XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX chiseled features cutting through the smoke of the party like the prow of a ship. He is immaculately dressed in a dinner jacket with a fur piece wrapped around her waist. He and MEDINA stare at each other. A lightning bolt leaves HANNAY'S eyes and MADINA'S eyes at the same time and meet in mid-air. There is a CLICK and suddenly the SCREEN IS SUFFUSED WITH A PUCE GLOW. MEDINA begins to tremble and falls back against the wall, horrified.
HANNAY
(to MEDINA)
What is it, old bean?
MEDINA
Can't help it, old sport. Every time I see the color puce, everything goes red.
There is a pulsation of a RED SUFFUSED GLOW over the whole picture, as we CUT TO:
6. ORCHESTRA IN THE BALLROOM - CLOSE SHOT
of the BANDLEADER AS he announces:
BANDLEADER
And now, we will have the new dance everyone has been requesting.... the "hot pepper spin" .....
The orchestra starts to play and the guests form a daisychain and start to chant to the music.
GUESTS
(chanting)
'Call for the scholar Call for one who will submerse, Call a lady in her habit and a yellow patent purse... Boils, says the scholar, Bile says one who will submerse, Balls says the lady in her habit with the yellow patent purse.'
As the dancers chant, HANNAY looks up sharply. He strides resolutely across the floor, his finely chiseled features cutting through the smoke like the prow of a ship. He grabs XXXXXXX MEDINA by the short hairs of his fur piece...
XX HANNAY
(looking down intently)
You've lighted up your hair.
(abruptly, to change the subject)
What I really wanted to say, old top, was....that song....I sense a hidden meaning.
(then, more to himself)
I think I'm on the track of something big.
Just then a courier, carrying a yellow handbag, rushes up to HANNAY and whispers in his ear. As he whispers, HANNAY'S face registers - in precisely the following order: - SHOCK, MIRTH, FEAR, EXCITEMENT, PASSION, PAIN, INSPIRATION ....GAS.... He says...
HANNAY
(sternly to the quivering courier)
Irving!!! Stop acting like such a ninny....
(turns to MEDINA; lays his trap)
I say, old boy, what do you know about the three hostages?
MEDINA
(slyly)
Well, I swan!
(a pause...then he continues, evasively)
Are you talking about the blonde young XXXXXXX son of the automobile tycoon, the teen-age boy of the shipping magnate, and XXX Senator Harvey Fartz's infant boy, all of whom were kidnapped at precisely 7:02 p.m. yesterday and are being held for the purpose of immobilizing the F.B.I., Interpol, the Secret XXXXX Service and the Peace Corp. while a nefarious gang of international thieves - whom we refer to as 'S.W.I.S.H.' - loots the entire world? .....
HANNAY
(eagerly)
Yes...yes!
MEDINA
(cunningly)
Haven't heard a thing about it, old fellow!!
HANNAY realizes this is no ordinary criminal he is dealing with. he thinks for a moment-- and then says -
HANNAY
(significantly)
Let's go back and finish the champagne and bagels before they spirit it away from us.
MEDINA
Really splendid bagels. Tended to that myself, you know...Made the acquaintance of one of those excellent Horn and Hardard executives....
MEDINA takes HANNAY'S arm and they move toward the kitchen, MEDINA limping alternately from the right XXX leg to the left leg.
HANNAY
Medina....
MEDINA turns, questioningly.
HANNAY (cont'd)
Medina...I need to go....
(indicates the Men's Room)
...freshen up a little.
MEDINA
(shakes his head)
You're fresh enough.
(cuts short his quick frown)
Come on.
HANNAY
But I insist.
(pretends to Walk away)
MEDINA limps into the kitchen as HANNAY stealthily sneaks up behind him, into the kitchen and hides in a laundry bin. We have a clear view of MEDINA From HANNAY'S P.O.V. THE CAMERA MOVES IN SLOWLY TO A CLOSE SHOT of MEDINA as he removes his fur piece from around his waist. We follow the FUR PIECE to the bathroom. The CAMERA discreetly remains outside the half-open bathroom door. We HEAR the SOUND of flushing. Now we HEAR the SOUND of running water, and we decide to go in.
7. INT. BATHROOM - CLOSE UP
We CUT straight to the LAVATORY BASIN which is filled with water. The water is slowly turning dark as it is filled with the dye from the dripping fur piece. After a moment or two we see the fur piece rise, wet and shining. We HOLD on this for a moment as MEDINA smoothes the dripping fur, now very much lighter, and adjusts it around his waist. He steps back into the kitchen as we SUDDENLY HEAR A SOUND OF THREE TAPS AT THE WINDOW.
8. MED. SHOT -
MEDINA limps awkwardly to the window and opens it.
9. CLOSE SHOT -
We see a GREEK SAILOR come through the window. CAMERA PULLS BACK to include MEDINA
MEDINA
Well, I just swan! XX You'll have to wait a minute, Dickey.
(he limps out of view)
We see a FULL-UP of the SAILOR, impatiently smoking a cigarette as he waits for MEDINA.
SAILOR
(impatient, but good-humored)
Hurry-up, Medina...for crissake.
There is a pause and MEDINA comes into view, leering, nuzzling the struggling, unhappy HANNAY whom he has carried from the laundry XXX bin, along with some dirty undergarments and dragging XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX an old basketball sweater. The SAILOR watches this but makes no move to help.
HANNAY
(whimpering)
I'm cold....I'm so cold...(Don't make me go....)
MEDINA
(Slowly swinging the basketball sweater in front of HANNAY, rhythmically, back and forth like a pendulum; whispers hypnotically)
Now you go on to sleep, sugarpop.....
We FADE OUT on HANNAY'S glazed, hypnotized face.
