Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock, well-known British filmmaker known for his classic movies “Vertigo,” “The Birds,” and “Marnie.” Hitchcock started his filming career in the 1920’s, working for independent producers as an art director, production designer, editor, assistant director, and a writer (Stephen witty, pg. 172). Hitch directed in smaller films that didn’t do well popularity wise, until his first real hit that eventually developed into how he would later create his trademark in the film industry “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog” (Stephen Witty, pg. 172). Movie critics were uncertain to his most shocking movie in 1960, “psycho,” the movie was quoted as being filmed with tact, grace and art. (Rotten Tomatoes, 2003). Although Hitchcock was a famous director, there seemed to be a narcissistic side to his movies and toxic relationships with his actresses. Hitchcock’s film “Vertigo,” the main character being Scottie Ferguson would show narcissistic behaviors. As he becomes obsessed with Madeliene Lester it shows his obsession with wanting his own desires which leads to a destructive mental health. “Rebecca,” also a Hitchcock film, shows more of Hitchcock’s obsession with destruction in his films. Wanting to create more tension and a strong desire for wanting more control. George Draft, an actor that appeared in the movie “The House Across the Bay,” was being filmed for some close ups that Hitchcock was asked to help with, during the filming process Hitchcock warned George “That I think all actors are cattle” (Quoteresearch, 2019). Hitchcock shows his excessive need for control and directorial authority, only seeing his actors and actress as animals that need to be controlled. He later retracks his statement during an interview, quote “I was accused of calling actors as cattle. I said, ‘I would never say such an unfeeling rude thing about actors at all, what I probably said was that ‘All actors should be treated like cattle,’” Hitchcock refuses to acknowledge his poor choice of wording and take accountability of the feelings that he may have hurt (Cavett, 1972). Tippi Hendren, an actress that plays in the film “The Birds” and “Marnie,” was a victim to Hitchcock’s perverse manner as well as being physically terrorized when acting for his films. During the filming process of “The Birds” Tippi Hendren’s character, Melanie, would be attacked by a flock of birds. Hendren was apprehensive when knowing that birds would be swarming her, she was reassured by director Toby Jones, that they would use mechanical birds for a brief sequence (Rampton, 2012). Unbeknownst to Hendren they would use real birds to film the scene which was not only shot for an hour but for multiple days, causing her to be pecked and scratched, leaving her traumatized. Hitchcock refused to help ease her fear but rather focused more on her terrorized facial expressions (Rampton, 2012). In the film “Marnie” Hendren plays a troubled young woman, Marnie, that steals from her employers, claiming different identities. The Main male lead, played by Sean Connery, falls for the girl. Believing that he can fix her troubles and portrays himself as a savior (Thomas, 2024). Connery’s character forces Marnie into a marriage, and brutal rape whilst on their honeymoon (Rampton, 2012). Why was Hendren treated so badly during her contract with Hitchcock? To put it plainly, he was obsessed with her. Sienne Miller an actress that played Tippi Hendren, in “The Girl,” was quoted “He had this Cliched ideal of a woman. He found this amazing woman who had never acted before and thought he could mold her. In his mind, he was creating the perfect woman-he even told Tippi what lipstick to wear. At first, she adhered to it, unaware that it was not something that usually happened on a film set. Gradually, he became more and more obsessed with her.” (Rampton, 2012). Hendren declined Hitchcock’s sexual advances when he was alone with her in her trailer, which resulted in his passion for her, turn into spite (Thomas, 2024). Hendren had several possessive and sexual encounters with him, Hitchcock became jealous whenever Hendren would interact with any male colleague, Hitchcock tried to force himself upon Hendren when they are alone in a vehicle, He had asked the actress to touch him whilst sharing romantic fantasies (Lang, 2017). Hendren later was quoted “I’ve never gone into detail on this, and never will, I’ll simply say that he suddenly grabbed me and put his hand son me. It was sexual, it was perverse, and it was ugly, and I couldn’t have been more shocked and repulsed. The harder I fought him, the more aggressive he became. Then he started adding threats, as if he could do anything to me that was worse than what he was trying to do at that moment.” (Reid, 2019). After repeated declines to Hitchcock’s advances he would threaten her career, Sienne Miller says “He wouldn’t work with her after ‘Marnie’, but he wouldn’t let anyone else work with her either, she was his and if he couldn’t work with her, then no one else could.” (Rampton, 2012). Hitchcock continually shows his viewpoints on women in his films and outside his director role. He sees them as something that can be controlled, molded, manipulated, an object only good for his benefit. His films only showing women being abused, which only seemed to solidify that Hitchcock liked seeing women suffer (Daguid). Not only did Tippi Hendren’s characters fall as victims in many films, but in his film “The Pleasure Garden” a woman falls victim to an abusive husband, another film “champagne” shows a young woman being sexually assaulted, or just often being murder victims (Daguid). Vera Miles was asked to play the female lead in “vertigo,” Miles became pregnant, so she was unable to film (Forrest, 2025). Instead of being happy for Miles new addition to life he was rather displeased and stated, “I hate pregnant women because then they have children.” (Forrest, 2025). Hitchcock makes statements regarding in the male dominated cinema career that “I think women are less versatile in observation than men, who have more ‘angles on life.” (Forrest, 2025). Although his previous actors and actresses had stated that he was a ‘pleasure’ to work with, he was celebrated as a widely successful film director, someone whose changed the cinema industry for years to come. However his narcissistic tendencies and viewpoints are not something to ignore, his constant manipulation of his actress Tippi Hendren when she refused to sleep with him, his male leads all having a darker more sinister sides to them regarding their love interest, refusing to take accountability for his poor choice of wording, becoming enraged when his unwanted advances are turned down and seeking revenge, wanting control of every aspect of someone’s life within their contract with him and outside filming hours. Hitchcock never claims to be a narcissist, but his actions and films tell a different story.