In 1933, Joan Harrison was a twenty-six-year-old former salesgirl with a dream of escaping both her stodgy London suburb and the dreadful prospect of settling down with one of the local boys. A few short years later, she was Alfred Hitchcock’s confidante and one of the Oscar-nominated screenwriters of his first American film, “Rebecca.” Harrison had quickly grown from being the worst secretary Hitchcock ever had to one of his closest collaborators, critically shaping his brand as the “Master of Suspense.”
Joan Harrison embodies perhaps the most important Hollywood influencer most people have never heard of. Such is one of the many delights to be savored while reading ‘Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, The Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock.’ It’s worth noting that Hitchcock biographies often pay little more than lip service to the role of Harrison. Either she hardly gets a mention, or else the authors treat her as another of Hitch’s odd or inscrutable infatuations. Yet as the aptly titled “Phantom Lady” makes clear, Harrison was as indispensable to Hitchcock’s creative process as was Alma, his loyal wife.
Harrison’s rise in the film industry – first in Britain and later in the United States – began on a somewhat inauspicious note. Although initially hired by Hitchcock as a secretary, it soon became clear that she was capable of far more. A well-read, heir to a moderately wealthy family, she soon began reading scripts for the Hitchcocks, always in search of the next project. Soon enough, she began taking a more active role in the overall development process.
The fruitful give-and-take of the triumvirate consisting of Joan, Hitchcock’s erudite wife Alma, and Hitchcock himself reveals much about the vicissitudes of the business. From acquiring the film rights to the source material and dealing with studio executives – particularly the mercurial David O. Selznick – to script re-writes, to post-production, to unflagging promotional tours, the book provides many insights into the creative process of successful filmmaking.
Particularly interesting are the detailed accounts of various big-budget productions including “Rebecca,” “Foreign Correspondent,” and “Suspicion.” After several years mentoring under Hitchcock, Harrison struck out on her own as a producer, favoring noir and detective genres. One constant throughout her impressive career was that Harrison maintained a keen interest in strong female characters.
Harrison’s eye for a good narrative, as well as its potential to translate well onto film, was as acute as anyone’s in Hollywood. Still, she harbored no illusions about the uphill battle she faced in a male-dominated profession. For someone who blazed such as clear trail for other women to follow, it’s remarkable how little notice Harrison has received outside the industry – and perhaps even within – over the years.
Harrison stood up for what she believed, serving as a role model for both men and women. She hired blacklisted writers when she had the chance and was active in the anti-isolationist effort during World War II.
In the course of her career, Harrison received writing credits for eight screenplays, earning two Academy Award nominations in the same year along the way – the first woman ever to do so. She also produced eight feature films, often assisting uncredited on the screenplays. Later, she saw her greatest success on the small screen, most notably “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.” Running from 1957 to 1965, the half-hour and one-hour series formats garnered fourteen Emmy nominations, resulting in three wins, and a Golden Globe.
Vignettes regarding Harrison’s celebrity acquaintances – if not outright friends – pepper the narrative nicely. Mixing with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and Carol Lombard, Harrison was an insider’s insider. At galas and soirees, she listened more than she spoke, making a lasting impression on the high-powered L.A. talent. Hardly the most visible who’s-who in Hollywood during its golden era, Harrison nonetheless moved easily in its exclusive circles, aided by her sharp intellect.
After her share of Hollywood-style romances and dalliances, Harrison eventually married the acclaimed mystery writer Eric Ambler in 1958. They remained together until her death in 1994. Ambler died four years later. Happily, “Phantom Lady” focuses on the achievements of Harrison at the height of her influence, choosing to move quickly over her later years of declining health.
A feminist far ahead of her time, the exploits of Joan Harrison in “Phantom Lady” make for engaging reading from start to finish. The book chronicles a compelling true story that brings to light the life of a talented and underappreciated movie-producing talent, one which readers will no doubt find exceedingly satisfying.
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