Lost Hitchcock Film Discovered in New Zealand

Film preservationists say they've found the first half of "The White Shadow," the earliest surviving feature film on which Hitchcock has a credit.

The first three reels of the six-reel film made in 1923 were discovered by the National Film Preservation Foundation at the New Zealand Film Archive."The White Shadow" was directed by Graham Cutts, and Hitchcock, who was 24 when the film was made, is credited as the writer, assistant director, editor and production designer. His own directorial debut came two years later. Foundation Director Annette Melville said Wednesday that the reels of "The White Shadow" were found among films donated to the archive by the family of New Zealand projectionist and collector Jack Murtagh. No other copy of "The White Shadow" is known to exist. The film is a melodrama about twin sisters — one good, the other evil.