The Girl 2012

     Originally, Grace Kelly was scheduled to star for Alfred Hitchcock in the movie The Birds.  She retired from films when she married Prince Rainier.  Hitchcock looked for a similar girl to take her place.  Tippi Hedren had been a TV model for 11 years in New York and she was selected for the part.  Hitchcock becomes obsessed with Tippi and he has her film the same scene in the attic with live birds for 48 takes because she refused his advances.  She is ordered to take a week off from filming by her doctor.  Hitchcock’s wife Alma and his assistant Peggy are both appalled by his behavior but they think they can’t do anything to stop it.  Tippi begs Alma to ask Hitchcock to stop but Alma refuses.  Tippi is scheduled to star in his next film Marnie and she is under contract for 7 years.  Hitchcock continues to pursue Tippi and he calls her at home every night. 

     I didn’t know this background information about The Birds or Marnie.  Everyone on the set knew what is going on but Hitch was the boss so what could they do if they wanted to keep their jobs?  Hitch always reminds Tippi that he made her famous and she owes him.  He claims she has taken but given nothing back?  Hitch was demanding as a director and this added pressure was probably unbearable.

     This is surprising, interesting and good.  A lot of the filming scenes are shown for The Birds.  Hedren was actually scratched and pecked by the birds in the takes for this scene.  She was not told prior to filming that the birds would be real and not mechanical birds.  It was unusually cruel and unnecessary to keep going on and on with take after take for five days.  It was punishment for resistance toward his advances and for standing up for herself.  Hedren was divorced and her daughter is Melanie Griffith.   3 ½* (I liked this movie)

91 min, TV Movie directed by Jullian Jarrold with Sienna Miller, Toby Jones, Imelda Staunton, Conrad Kemp Penelope Wilton, Angelina Ingpen, Candice D’Arcy, Carl Beukes, Kate Tilley.

Note:  Imdb 6.2 out of 10, 41% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 3.8* out of 5* with 52 reviews.

Special Note:  In 2012, Hedren described Hitchcock as a “sad character, a man of unusual genius, yet evil, and deviant, almost to the point of dangerous, because of the effect that he could have on people that were totally unsuspecting.”  She also said “He ruined my career.  He didn’t’ ruin my life.”  Hedren was bound by her contract and unable to act in Fahrenheit 451 in 1966.