MovieChat Forums > Psycho (1960) Discussion > In A Traditional Theatre Format.

In A Traditional Theatre Format.

posted 4 years ago by Sandman81 (1502)
2 replies | jump to latest

In most traditional plays or operas the story is split up into 3 acts: Discovery of the Conflict, Complications, and Resolution. How would you split up Psycho?

Act 1: Everything in Phoenix, Marion on the road, buying the car and evading the cop and arriving at the Bates Motel. Now this part is tricky. Does the act end when she arrives, or when Norman returns to house after peeping, after the shower, or does it go all the way until after Norman disposes of her car?

This is where Psycho is a different kind of story, since the main protagonist is already gone, and the main plot has switched.

Act 2: I believe it starts with Norman confronting Mother about the murder, then rushing to the motel, and disposing of the body. At this point it's no longer a story about a theft, but a murder mystery. The act runs through Sam and Lily meeting, all of Arbagost, then ends with meeting the Sheriff and his wife, and them informing us that Mrs. Bates has been dead for 10 years.

Act 3: Starts at the church where the Sheriff says he went out to the Motel and found nothing. From here Sam and Lily move toward the final resolution.

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

You've just taken a look at the "fun" of Psycho after all these years: trying to analyze it in "Three Acts."

For instance, this construction works, until it doesn't:

Act One: Marion's story (ends with her car in the swamp.)

Act Two: Arbogast's story(ends with HIS car in the swamp.)

Act Three: Sam and Lila's story(ends in the fruit cellar with Norman captured.)

Fair enough, but Psycho keeps going PAST the fruit cellar -- so the Third Act goes to the cell?

One could also say that all three acts are about NORMAN...even Marion's very long opening act(its about 2/3 her story alone, then she meets Norman.)

Others have chosen to split Psycho not into three acts, but into TWO parts:

ONE: Marion and Norman. (Leigh's first half hour alone, then on to Norman and the swamp)

PART TWO: Norman and Everybody Else(Arbogast doesn't get the second act to himself, he has to share Part Two with Lila, Sam, the Sheriff and the Psychiatrist.)

It has even been noted under this anlaysis that Psycho "has two separate casts -- one for Part One and one for Part Two"(only partially true -- Anthony Perkins and John Gavin are in both parts.)

Me, I like to protect the three act structure and to make sure that Arbogast's part "stands alone," because in terms of acting, suspense, humor and shock -- it really is a great 20-minute movie, all by itself. Sam and Lila get boring and Marion's story is a red herring for much of the time.

I like your structure -- your second act starts BEFORE the swamp(Marion's death ends Act One), takes in Arbogast...but goes on to the sheriff.

The moral of the story: The Three Act Structure doesn't always work the same for everybody -- especially not in Psycho.

[–] ecarle (14979) 3 years ago

bump