11. No More Showers Please!
Janet Leigh famously said that her role in Psycho scared her enough to never have a shower again, as she realised how vulnerable you can be in it. A whole generation undoubtedly agreed.
12. Vera Miles Makes A Comeback
Vera Miles was Hitchcock's biggest discovery in the late 1950s. After starring in
The Wrong Man in 1957, she was billed to star as the dual female lead in
Vertigo, but her pregnancy forced her to pull out and the role subsequently went to
Kim Novak. Upon her return to acting, Hitchcock was unable to salvage the close working relationship that they had once shared and he relegated Miles to the supporting role of Lila Crane in Psycho. Despite being a form of penance for her pregnancy, Miles' role in Psycho ensured that her career momentum returned and she continued to have a steady career (albeit prdominantly in television) right up to her retirement in 1995. She is effective as our entry point to the true nature of Noman Bates.
13. I'll get it back, and if any of it's missin' I'll replace it with her fine, soft flesh!
As Marion imagines the above being said by Tom Cassidy (the owner of the stolen $40000) a brief smile forms across her face. Her apparent pleasure at relieving the perverted old man of his money - and subsequently letting her imagination run away with her when thinking of his reaction - adds a sassy element to her character that had not been revealed so far in the plot, or many female protagonists in movies pre-1960.
14. The Use of Drag
Before Hitchcock, drag was predominantly used for comedic value (for example, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in Some Like it Hot) or to characterise an actress as a sultry, sexy European (such as Marlene Dietrich in Morocco). The use of drag as a horror device was a clever idea, as contemporary audiences had most likely never seen it used in such a way.
Although Mrs. Bates being revealed as Norman in a dress and wig may be comical to modern day audiences, the silhouette behind the shower curtain is possibly one of the most menacing images in the history of cinema.
15. The Enigmatic Mrs. Bates
Hitchcock went to great pains to keep people guessing who would play Norman's overbearing mother during production, and when speaking to the press. He even went as far as having a canvas directors chair made with her name written on the back.
This remained on set throughout the shoot. Hitchcock even told Paramount that he would audition veteran actress
Helen Hayes for the role! The fact that Mrs. Bates was actually a corpse was one of Hollywood's best kept secrets, making the shock ending even more of a surprise!