There has been a lot written about Alfred Hitchcock and his leading ladies. Many of the characters were cool blondes. Elegant, sensual and imperfect. They were spies and thieves, seductresses and femme fatales, and, when you get down to it, huntresses and prey.
Hitchcock often explored the dark side of love in his romantic thrillers. He’s known for creating heroines who understood obsession, jealousy and passion, yet they rarely had the main role in his films. They were always the object of lust, the romantic interest, or the victim.
Consider the roles of Grace Kelly, one of his frequent collaborators:
Dial M for Murder
Margot is a married woman having an affair and doesn’t realize her husband Tony plans to have her murdered. Tony is meticulous at creating the perfect crime, but he never expected Margot to fight back.
This is no love story and I don’t see a happily-ever-after with her lover, either. In my opinion, Margot is more of a victim than the heroine. She’s reacting to the events rather than making things happen.
To Catch a Thief
Frances is a socialite who knows John is a retired jewel thief and she’s determined to prove he’s still in the game. But is she more interested in the man than in his exploits?
This romantic thriller is fun, stylish and light, but I can’t imagine the relationship lasting forever. Frances is a smart, bold and determined woman, yet John is not an equal match for her.
Rear Window
When Lisa checks in on her lover L.B. while he’s recuperating from an injury, she thinks his theories about his neighbors are the result of boredom. Eventually, she gets caught up in the dangerous hunt for the truth.
The conflict in this romance is based on Lisa and L.B. being from different worlds. Lisa might not be used to roughing it, but she’s the person you want at your side when life gets tough.
Margot, Frances and Lisa are women who are curious, elegant, and break the rules. They share some qualities of a romance heroine. If only they had a hero worthy of their unconditional trust and love.