Alfred Hitchcock was known by many in the film community as the master of suspense, but actress Tippi Hedren’s recent book, “Tippi: A Memoir,” reveals it was more than just the filmmaker’s craft that was bestial.
For anyone who has seen a Hitchcock film, it’s pretty evident the man had an unnatural obsession with killing women in his movies. He had a particular affinity for blondes in this regard.
“Blondes make the best victims,” Hitchcock once said. “They’re like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.”
Even for the man who directed “Psycho,” that’s creepy.
According to Hedren’s new book, Hitchcock was no more charming in person during the few years she knew him. Hitchcock had apparently discovered her through a non-speaking role she had in a TV diet-drink commercial, and he insisted that Universal Studios find her and bring her to him.
Upon meeting Hedren, the director hired her at once for “The Birds,” his planned follow-up to “Psycho.” Hedren wrote that Hitchcock would attempt to regulate her diet and even ordered her “Marnie” co-star Sean Connery to not touch her at any point during shooting.
Also during the shooting of “The Birds,” Hitchcock allegedly attempted to embrace and kiss Hedren in a limo in front of a crowded hotel.
She successfully avoided this unwanted encounter, but the director supposedly got his revenge the day after through the filming of the movie’s famous telephone booth scene, where the killer birds try to break in through the glass surrounding Hedren.
It looks like the director had been watching too many of his own movies.
Since the publishing of Hedren’s memoir, many Hitchcock experts and fans have come out in defense of the renowned director. All of them have been male.
Apparently it’s easier to believe that an 86-year-old actress is still seeking attention than that a notoriously sleazy director could have assaulted at least one of his actresses.
Hitchcock biographer John Russell Taylor said in an interview with the Guardian there were several months separating the attempted kiss and the phone booth filming.
He also said it would make no sense that Hitchcock would try seeking revenge against Hedren, as that would only disfigure her.
Hedren’s hairdresser Virginia Darcy, however, said she supported Hedren’s claims and mentioned that the whole crew was looking out for the actress.
During the shooting of “Marnie,” Hedren said Hitchcock told her about a recurring dream he was having of her in his living room, telling him how her heart belongs to him. He said if it weren’t for his wife, Alma, he would be with her.
Hedren asked Hitchcock to stop, but he didn’t comply and leaned into her ear to confess his twisted idea of love for her. It’s an image that seems to come straight out of “Vertigo,” and perhaps Jimmy Stewart’s obsessive character was autobiographical.
It didn’t get any better after that. After a shooting, Hedren claims in her memoir that Hitchcock randomly grabbed her and touched her all over.
“It was sexual, it was perverse and it was ugly, and I couldn’t have been more shocked or repulsed,” Hedren said.
This was the final straw for her. Hedren said she immediately cancelled her contract with Hitchcock and never saw the man again.
“Don’t let a situation get to the point where you can’t control it,” Hedren said. “Ever.”
While Hedren has escaped her abuse, there are still thousands of women throughout the history of Hollywood who have suffered from the abuse of their silver-screen higher-ups. Hedren herself didn’t bloom too many years from the days when women had to sleep with producers in order to be secured a role.
After Hitchcock, there has still been a considerable amount of misogynistic treatment from directors. Rose McGowan practically quit acting after an Adam Sandler film audition required her to be dressed in a bikini.
Also, what was the last Christopher Nolan film you’ve seen where a woman wasn’t already dead, killed or completely sidelined? That’s right. None. And let us not forget the fact that there has yet to be a female character in a Michael Bay movie whose purpose is anymore than eye candy.
However, Hedren said she believes women today have the ability to fight back against this sexism.
“I think they’ve become stronger,” Hedren said. “They certainly have the right to be stronger. If they don’t use that right, I have nothing to say to them.”
afaulds@indiana.edu
