The Master of Surprise

Abstract

This article challenges the moniker “the master of suspense” as applied to Alfred Hitchcock. I show that Hitchcock's guiding principle was often not suspense but surprise. The penchant to surprise explains why Hitchcock utilized the surprise plot, as well as why he is often considered a deeply conflicted artist. In addition to standard surprise and suspense, which generate little uncertainty for the audience, Hitchcock developed parallel versions of these structures that incorporated premise uncertainty and allowed telling two stories at once. Double plots, which I term overt, structure some of Hitchcock's most sophisticated works, such as Notorious and Suspicion. The distinction between standard and overt surprise and suspense helps us better understand both Hitchcock's mastery and his enduring relevance for all narrative media today.