Hitchcock is not a slavish follower of show don’t tell – only a fool would be – but he often used it to great effect. In the clip below we see the famous opening of Rear Window, where we deduce the name, profession, character, circumstances and even girlfriend of the main character without hearing a single word; and the scene in North by Northwest where one character explains the entire plot so far to another character and we don’t hear a whisper of it. Yet just as often Hitch would resort to taxi-cab scenes and long-winded explanations when he thought the story could carry them. His advice is clear: show don’t tell is a tool, not a rule.
Rear Window is by John Michael Hayes and North by Northwest is by Ernest Lehman, as I’m sure you knew. (Say three Hail Marys if you didn’t).
Resources:
Don’t, just don’t at the GeorgeBlot YouTube channel.