Mitch's mother (Jessica Tandy) at The Birds (1963) Bodega Bay, where the characters' sense of security is slowly eroded TOMATOMETER by the curious behavior of the birds in the area. At first, it's no more than All Critics a sea gull swooping down and pecking at Melanie's head. Things take a truly ugly turn when 96 hundreds of birds converge on a children's party. There is never an Average Rating: 8/10 Reviews Counted: 46 Fresh: 44 | Rotten: 2 explanation as to why the birds have run amok, but once the Top Critics onslaught begins, there's virtually no letup. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi 75 PG-13, 1 hr. 59 min. Average Rating: 5.6/10 Critic Reviews: 8 Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 2 Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Classics Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock Proving once again that build-up is the In Theaters: Mar 28, 1963 Wide key to suspense, Alfred Hitchcock Universal Pictures successfully turned birds into some of the most terrifying villains in horror history. [www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1002448- birds/‎] AUDIENCE 80 liked it Average Rating: 3.5/5 User Ratings: 150,995 Movie Info The story begins as an innocuous romantic triangle involving wealthy, spoiled Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), handsome Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), and schoolteacher Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette). The human story begins in a San Francisco pet shop Theatrical release poster (Wikipedia) and culminates at the home of children are set upon by seagulls. The following evening, sparrows invade the Brenner home The Birds (1963) through the chimney. Lydia discovers a neighbor who has been killed by birds that invaded his The Birds is a 1963 suspense/horror film house, and she flees the scene in terror. After directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on being comforted by Melanie and Mitch, Lydia the 1952 story "The Birds" by Daphne du becomes concerned about Cathy's safety at Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California, which school. Melanie goes to the school and waits for is, suddenly and for unexplained reasons, the class to end, initially unaware that a huge subject of a series of widespread and violent number of crows are massing nearby. Horrified bird attacks over the course of a few days. when she sees the playground engulfed by them, she warns Annie, and they evacuate the The film was billed as 'introducing' Tippi Hedren. children. The birds attack, injuring several It also starred Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, children. Suzanne Pleshette and a young Veronica Cartwright. Melanie meets Mitch at a local restaurant. Several patrons describe their own encounters The screenplay was written by Evan Hunter. with strange bird behaviour. A drunk believes Hitchcock told him to develop new characters the attacks are a sign of the Apocalypse, and a and a more elaborate plot, keeping Du Maurier's traveling salesman suggests exterminating them title and concept of unexplained bird attacks. all. An amateur ornithologist dismisses the reports of attacks as fanciful and argues about it with Melanie. A young mother becomes Plot increasingly distressed by the conversation and chides them all for frightening her children. Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), a young Outside the restaurant, a motorist is attacked socialite, meets Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) in a while filling his car with gasoline; he is knocked San Francisco bird shop. Mitch wants to unconscious and the gasoline continues to pour purchase a pair of lovebirds for his sister's out onto the street. The salesman from the eleventh birthday, but the shop has none. He restaurant, unaware that he is standing in a recognizes Melanie from a previous encounter, puddle of the gasoline, lights a cigar and drops but she doesn't remember him, so he plays a the lit match. The gasoline ignites, killing him. prank by pretending to mistake her for a The birds attack in greater numbers as people salesperson. She is infuriated when she pour from the diner to survey the damage; realises. Nevertheless intrigued, Melanie tracks Melanie is forced to take refuge in a phone down his address in Bodega Bay, California, and booth. Mitch rescues her and they return to the purchases a pair of lovebirds herself. After restaurant, where the hysterical mother accuses driving an hour or two, she sneaks across the Melanie of causing the attacks. Melanie and bay in a motor boat and secretly deposits the Mitch return to Annie's house and find that Annie birds inside Mitch's house with a note. He spots has been killed by birds while pushing Cathy her on the water during her escape, and he indoors to safety. intercepts her as she is attacked and injured by a seagull. Mitch invites her to stay for dinner, Melanie and the Brenners barricade themselves and Melanie reluctantly agrees. inside the Brenner home. The house is attacked in waves by the birds, and several times they Melanie develops a relationship with Mitch, nearly break in through the sealed doors and meets his clinging mother Lydia (Jessica Tandy) windows. During a nighttime lull between and his younger sister Cathy (Veronica attacks, Melanie hears noises from the upper Cartwright). She also befriends local school floor. Not wanting to disturb the others' sleep, teacher Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette), Melanie enters Cathy's abandoned bedroom who later reveals she is Mitch's ex-lover. When and finds that the birds have broken through the Melanie stays for the night at Annie's house, roof. They violently attack her, trapping her in they are startled by a loud thud; they find that a the room until Mitch comes to her rescue. She is gull has killed itself by flying into the front door. badly injured and nearly catatonic, and Mitch At Cathy's birthday party the next day, the insists they must get her to a hospital. A sea of birds ripple menacingly around the Brenner farm Diner frightened boy as Mitch prepares Melanie's car for their escape. • Elizabeth in coffee shop The radio reports the spread of bird attacks to Wilson as • Roxanne Tunis nearby communities, and suggests that the Helen Carter as Extra National Guard may be required because civil authorities are unable to combat the inexplicable attacks. The film concludes ambiguously, as the • Alfred Hitchcock makes his signature car carrying Melanie, the Brenners and the cameo as a man walking dogs out of lovebirds slowly makes its way through a the pet store at the beginning of the landscape inundated by thousands of different film. They were two of Hitchcock's own bird species perched together quietly. For the Sealyham terriers, Geoffrey and moment, they are not attacking. Stanley. Cast Production • Tippi Hedren • Lonny as Melanie Chapman as Development Daniels Deke Carter • Rod Taylor as • Doodles On August 18, 1961, residents in the town of Mitch Brenner Weaver as Capitola, California, awoke to find sooty • Jessica Tandy Fisherman shearwaters slamming into their rooftops, and as Lydia Helping With their streets covered with dead birds. News Brenner Rental Boat reports suggested domoic acid poisoning • Veronica • John (amnesic shellfish poisoning) as the cause. Cartwright as McGovern as According to a local newspaper, the Santa Cruz Cathy Brenner Postal Clerk Sentinel, Alfred Hitchcock requested news copy • Suzanne • Richard in 1961 to use as "research material for his Pleshette as Deacon as latest thriller". At the end of the same month, Annie Mitch's City Hitchcock hired Evan Hunter to adapt Daphne Hayworth Neighbor du Maurier's novella, "The Birds", first published • Ethel Griffies • Bill Quinn as in her 1952 collection The Apple Tree. Hunter as Mrs. Bundy Sam as Man in had previously written "Vicious Circle" for Alfred • Charles Diner Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, which he McGraw as • Morgan adapted for the television anthology series Sebastian Brittany as Girl Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He also adapted Sholes in Birthday Robert Turner's story "Appointment at Eleven" • Doreen Lang Party for the same television series. Hunter later as Hysterical • Darlene suspected that he was hired because he had Mother in Conley as demonstrated he could write suspense (with the Diner Waitress 87th Precinct novels, as Ed McBain) and • Ruth McDevitt • Dal McKennon because his novel The Blackboard Jungle had as Mrs. as Sam the received critical acclaim. The relationship MacGruder Cook between Hunter and Hitchcock during the • Joe Mantell as • Mike creation of The Birds was documented by the Travelling Monteleone as writer in his 1997 autobiography Me and Hitch, Salesman in Gas Station which contains a variety of correspondence Diner Attendant between the writer, director and Hitchcock's • Malcolm • Jeannie assistant, Peggy Robertson. Atterbury as Russell as Deputy Al School Child Hunter began working on the screenplay in Malone • Rory Shevin September 1961. Hunter and Hitchcock • Karl Swenson as developed the story, suggesting foundations as Drunken Small/young such as the townspeople having a guilty secret Doomsayer in blond to hide, and the birds an instrument of punishment. Hunter suggested that the film Many of the sound effects were created on the begin using some elements borrowed from the Mixtur-Trautonium, an electronic musical screwball comedy genre then have it evolve into instrument developed by Oskar Sala. "stark terror". This appealed to Hitchcock, according to the writer, because it conformed to Hitchcock decided to do without any his love of suspense: the title and the publicity conventional incidental score. Instead, he made would have already informed the audience that use of sound effects and sparse source music in birds attack, but they do not know when. The counterpoint to calculated silences. Hitchcock initial humor followed by horror would turn the wanted to use the electroacoustic Trautonium to suspense into shock. create the birdcalls and noises.