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Edie Parker, Eddie's common-law wife.

I've probably met Steve Rebello at one of the (late) CFQ parties in the past years, and I have always thought he was a good writer. Reading his book is a joy.

However...

Boy, did he need a knowledgable editor on this. It all shakes down pretty much like I guessed. Detailed autopsy to come.

I just read the book, Bill. It's rife with errors, factual contradictions, and a lot of suppositions-- like the skull business.

The errors don't make it a crummy book. On the contrary, it is very much what the blurbs say, a neat, readable, fascinating, well-researched and documented look at the making of a movie, from inception to long-term influence.

Look at the Schlom quote carefully and you'll see it does not verify the "2-skulls" tale. It says Hitchcock hesitated about doing the effect. Not that there were variations, not that there were multiple prints with different versions. He wondered if he'd gone too far. Well, that "Did I go too far?" self-query is a repeated motif throughout the book, but it's generally in a context of Hitchcock guying the listener. He knew very well how far he was going. And Schlom quotes Hitch (30 years after the fact, remember) as saying "It has to be on and off like THAT." Which it is.

And do please note that the "2 skulls" thing isn't referenced, there is no citation or factual data back it up, either dated studio memos or after the fact printed verifcation. In fact, there are other things in the book that would contraindicate any thought of multiple versions or adjusted versions of the final release print (excluding local censorship bits.)

I'll write more later. I don't want this to be an argument, and I really don't want to be cast in the role of bone-headed mule. But there's nothing in the Rebello book that "proves" this myth, and far too much in the same book that works against it being true.

My review, for what it's worth.