Alfred Hitchcock has worked very intensely throughout his career. Despite being a legendary director, he had an infamous reputation. He was told to be too cunning and controlling, not letting the people he worked with have any say in the matter. Whether it was about brutally treating an actor or being too strict about how his movies are to be made, it was a hard battle against him.
What many may have never thought of, was that there was one entity that managed to make Hitchcock raise his hands above his head. It was no actor that stood against him or a crew member who was not okay with the way he worked; but a cat. Rather, a bunch of cats.
Alfred Hitchcock Was Defeated By Cats
Alfred Hitchcock was working very hard while making Number Seventeen. The comedy film was a unique twist to the director’s usual line of work and explored a side of him even he was eager to look into. In a comedy thriller like the film, Hitchcock wondered just how good of a twist cats would bring. Now it is to be noted that even cat owners admit just how difficult it is to tame a cat, unlike the ease that dogs bring, cats have their own will and would do whatever they please.
“Eventually, we got them all together again, and this time we had a wire netting put around so that they couldn’t run away. Everything was ready. Camera. Bang! This time only three cats ran up the stairs. All the rest turned and clung desperately to the netting. So I gave up.”
Hitchcock learned of this the hard way. He planned on getting over a hundred cats who would have proven as a comedic tone for the entire film as they loitered around whenever shots were fired. However, no cat was willing to go up and down the stairs like how the director had intended. Instead, the moment the shots started firing, all the cats scattered across the set, leading to a wild goose chase which ultimately made the director give up on the idea.
Alfred Hitchcock Gave Melanie Griffith a Creepy Doll
Alfred Hitchcock had his eyes on Dakota Johnson‘s grandmother, Tippi Hedren ever since he worked with her in The Birds in 1963 as well as Marnie in 1964. When she allegedly refused his advances, his obsession only became stronger and he would not leave her alone. Johnson even shared a story about how her mother, Melanie Griffith, became a target of his antics.
“He was talented and prolific — and important in terms of art — but power can poison people.”
He once sent her a small doll in a coffin, which is already creepy. However, the small doll was none other than a replica of Griffith’s mother. The young actress was horrified and extremely scarred after that incident.
Also Read: “Wasn’t nuts about the script”: $375M Rich Clint Eastwood Rejected Working With Legendary Director Called “The Master of Suspense”
Source: Slash Film
