The actor Alfred Hitchcock refused to work with: “I lost interest”
Alfred Hitchcock is perhaps one of the most influential directors of all time, creating a new genre of cinema that was birthed through the merging of thriller and horror in films like Rear Window, Vertigo and North by Northwest, while also infusing dark humour into the anxiety-inducing narratives. While Hitchcock became known for his legendary collaborations with actors like Grace Kelly, Cary Grant and James Stewart, and many of them were defined by their projects with the British auteur, there was one actor who later worked with Hitchcock despite his initial refusal to do so.
Perhaps the most influential film to come from Hitchcock’s filmography is his 1960 film Psycho, with the director becoming referred to as the ‘master of suspense’ after his thrilling tale of Marion Crane and her stay at the infamous Bates Motel. The film has inspired many horror directors over the years, with the likes of Jordan Peele and Stanley Kubrick using techniques that were created by Hitchcock in their own work, establishing an entirely new language of fear.
From the terrifying score to the bone-chilling performance from Janet Leigh, the film is renowned for its slow escalation of tension and haunting atmosphere, cementing Hitchcock’s position as one of the worlds most masterful directors.
However, while Leigh is considered Hollywood royalty for her performance in the film, inspiring the ‘final girl’ trope that has been replicated in films like Scream, Halloween and Alien, the director was more enthused about her part in the film compared to one of her co-stars, who Hitchcock initially declined to work with.
Vera Miles plays Lila Crane in Psycho, and was well-known for other roles in films like The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Wrong Man. However, while she is an integral part of the story, Hitchcock was at first hesitant to work with her, confiding in fellow director Francois Truffaut that “She became pregnant just before the part that was going to turn her into a star. After that, I lost interest. I couldn’t get the rhythm going with her again.”
While this is a baffling explanation for his sense of indecision over her role in the film, he perhaps later felt guilty and cast her as Lila Crane, which is now her best-remembered role. This is by far not the first time that Hitchcock has been cruel and unjust towards his female actors, with the director openly expressing his dislike of women and lack of belief in their talent. He frequently spoke about how he viewed them as little more than beautiful objects that could decorate his films, and his attitude towards Mlies reflects a similar attitude. Many of his colleagues have spoken about his disrespectful working style with women, with the like of Tippi Hedren writing detailed accounts of his misconduct while shooting The Birds.
Perhaps some people are surprised by his cold treatment of Miles, but many people who worked with the director have testified to his strange treatment of women, and so this behaviour while disappointing, is not at all surprising.
