The Birds
Another Interview With Alfred Hitchcock
I previously uncovered lost footage from an interview of Alfred Hitchcock by Dick Cavett in 1972, discussing his favourite movie. Now, I’ve also found an earlier interview from 1963 in which Hitchcock was publicising his film, The Birds. Here’s the transcript of the original, uncut conversation.
CAVETT: Is there a murder in your latest movie?
HITCHCOCK: There is, indeed.
CAVETT: (nodding) Why am I not surprised.
HITCHCOCK: (pleased with the wordplay he’s about to drop) A murder… of crows!
CAVETT: (not getting it) I see. And who’s murdering these crows?
HITCHCOCK: No, no. The crows are doing the murdering.
CAVETT: So, it’s a murder by crows.
HITCHCOCK: (clarifying) It’s a murder of crows committing murder.
CAVETT: (still somewhat confused) So, people are murdering these crows who’ve committed murder?
HITCHCOCK: (frustrated now) Well, yes, they’re trying to fight back. But that’s not--
CAVETT: A kind of tit for tat thing.
HITCHCOCK: Well, there are tits in the movie, yes.
CAVETT: (shocked) Oh!
HITCHCOCK: They come down the chimney and attack our heroes.
CAVETT: Tits come down the chimney?
HITCHCOCK: Yes. Lots of them. More than you can count.
CAVETT: (startled) It sounds like an extraordinary film!
HITCHCOCK: I like to think so.
CAVETT: And you didn’t have problems with the censors?
HITCHCOCK: No more than usual.
CAVETT: Huh.
HITCHCOCK: You just have to be careful with how you show the murders.
CAVETT: The murders by crows?
HITCHCOCK: The murder of crows.
CAVETT: (unsure) Riii-iiight.
HITCHCOCK: Also, the murders by crows.
CAVETT: (still trying to work it out) So… the crows are murdering people?
HITCHCOCK: All the birds are murdering people.
CAVETT: Right. So people hate the birds, I’m guessing.
HITCHCOCK: (shocked) Oh no. People love The Birds.
CAVETT: Despite them attacking people?
HITCHCOCK: Because they’re attacking people. It’s a thrilling film.
CAVETT: Ah, I see the confusion. (Trying again) No, I mean within the reality of the film, there’s no love for birds, surely.
HITCHCOCK: Oh, there are lovebirds, yes.
CAVETT: There are?
HITCHCOCK: Yes, it’s a romantic comedy. Well, at first.
CAVETT: And these lovebirds…
HITCHCOCK: They hate birds.
CAVETT: The lovebirds hate birds.
HITCHCOCK: Yes. Well, except for the lovebirds.
CAVETT: The lovebirds hate birds except for lovebirds?
HITCHCOCK: Now you’ve got it.
CAVETT: I’m not sure I do… (wrapping up) Nevertheless, it sounds like another fantastic movie from you, Mr Hitchcock. Congratulations on yet another triumph.
HITCHCOCK: Well, I don’t like to crow…
If you enjoy the movies of Alfred Hitchcock, or would like to learn more about them, you should listen to HitchPod, the podcast I do with Cat Jones. We’re currently doing a rewatch countdown of Hitchcock’s top twenty movies as voted on by our listeners and are up to… The Birds.