This use of costume as a way to illustrate a fundamental conflict between the two characters (romantic loyalty vs patriotic duty) is something Head continues throughout the film. When we first see Alicia, she wears a zebra-striped crop top – somewhat saucy by 1940s standards – and when she first meets Delvin, he ties a scarf around her bare stomach.
Huberman and Delvin fall in love, but each struggles to reconcile the hypocrisies of the other. Delvin (Grant) loops her into an operation in Rio where she must seduce a man she detests, one of her father’s colleagues, to take down the rogue Nazis. When the story begins, Alicia Huberman (Bergman) is a reputational floozy whose father is being jailed for being a Nazi conspirator.
Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant star in this celebrated Alfred Hitchcock film noir, one of many collaborations between Hitchcock and Head. Warning, some rankings contain spoilers for some old movies! Though she contributed to dozens of magnificent films, below we’ve rounded up the 11 best films that strike a balance between the watchability of the film and the extent to which it showcases Head’s talents. From Sidney Poitier to Natalie Wood, Head helped construct the biggest screen stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age and influenced American style from the top down, leaving an unparalleled legacy of excellence that the field of costuming has yet to witness since. Such vast range and inspired talent made her the most awarded woman in the history of the Academy Awards (she clocked in at 8), and several of the films she costumed are considered all-time greats. Whether it was set in the Old West, the cobblestone streets of Rome, or WWII Brazil, Head told story after story through the art of costume design during her 50-year career. And no one understood this significance quite like Edith Head. Not only does it help world-build and provide non-verbal insights into character and context, but when done exceptionally, costuming leaves an indelible mark on culture as we know it: think Marilyn’s white dress, Darth Vader’s onyx suit, Uma’s black-and-yellow one-piece. Costume is an essential aspect of cinematic storytelling.