Alfred Hitchcock always pushed the boundaries of art in his films, and he notoriously used a uranium-related MacGuffin, which coincided with the real nuclear issues of the time.

After years of perfecting the art of fantasy in Great Britain, Alfred Hitchcock arrived in Hollywood in the 1940s, where he established himself as a true visionary. He collaborated with producer David O. Selznick on such hits as Rebecca, Spellbound, and The Paramount Case. However, it was Ben Hecht’s ‘Notorious’ that marked Hitchcock’s debut as an unrestricted artist.

The perilous choice of the McGuffin

‘Notorious’ tells the story of American agent TR Devlin (played by Cary Grant) and Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a German war criminal. This film represents not only a masterpiece, but also a stage in Hitchcock’s evolution as an artist. The film’s MacGuffin, Hitchcock’s term for the plot that sets the events of the story in motion without any real significance, was a box of uranium. However, while for Hitchcock this substance was an excuse to develop the plot, the U.S. government’s uranium was a more pressing matter.

The filming of ‘Notorious’ coincided with the Manhattan Project, a top-secret military operation in Los Alamos, New Mexico, aimed at building a nuclear bomb during World War II. Any reference to uranium in these days was extremely sensitive. For Hitchcock, Uranium was simply a narrative device to bring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman together. However, for the government and physicists working on the project, it was an important part of building a nuclear bomb.

In the book Hitchcock/Truffaut, a series of interviews between Hitchcock and French filmmaker Francois Truffaut revealed the extent of the suspense masterpiece. ‘Notorious’ is a favorite among Hitchcock fans, including Trufat, who describes it as “quintessential Hitchcock”. Working closely with Hecht, Hitchcock conceived a suitable MacGuffin: a cache of uranium, which Alice had to infiltrate into a camp of German scientists in South America. Although Hitchcock was aware of the deadly potential of uranium, and even received information about a secret scientific operation in New Mexico, he persisted with the idea.

Alfred Hitchcock under FBI surveillance

Before filming, Hitchcock and Hitch consulted with a doctor at the California Institute of Technology about the nature of uranium ore. The scientist’s response was shocking, warning that they could be arrested. And so it was, according to Hitchcock, who stated that the FBI followed him for three months after this meeting. Although the surveillance did not lead to arrests, the scene highlights the tensions of the time. The war ended before the release of Notorious, which allowed the film to hit the screens without a major flop.

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman deliver masterful performances in ‘Notorious,’ with chemistry as radioactive as the plot even covers uranium. The film is notable for its dramatic camera movements and attention to detail, exemplified by the iconic crane shot that focuses on the key in Alice’s hand. Through ‘Notorious’, Hitchcock showed a genuine sensitivity that was not so evident in his previous films.

A masterpiece that defied the times

The film not only marked a turning point in Hitchcock’s life, but also left an indelible mark on the history of cinema. This timeless classic is available to stream on Tubi in the United States.

The famous spy movie is not only a charming romantic film, but also an example of how art can dangerously interact with reality. Alfred Hitchcock created a work that not only entertains with his unique vision but also reflects the stress and tension of his time.