The Birds (1963)

What to Expect

The actual plot of The Birds is “humans go about their business, then birds attack, then they attack some more, and that’s it.” But for the record, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) and Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) are socialite playgirl and playboy in the parts of San Francisco which were ritzy even in the 1960s. They have a playful little flirt which is headed for a courtship for them, out of little more motive than boredom. Meeting in a pet store, Mitch is out for a pair of lovebirds to give to his sister for a birthday present and pretends to mistake Melanie for a salesperson; Melanie later reciprocates by buying a pair of lovebirds herself and trespassing in the Daniels’ home to leave them there anonymously, but Mitch catches her. Just when their liaisons are beginning to get frisky, birds start attacking. Through the course of the film, bird attacks come at regular intervals, while the citizens of Bodega Bay scramble for cover and take turns clawing at each other in irrational cross-blame. Mitch’s mother (Jessica Tandy) gives Melanie a rather frosty reception, but Melanie ends up spending her time with Mitch’s family anyway out of the necessities of survival.

Read our full The Birds review