Four Uncomfortable Facts About Alfred Hitchcock

The darker side of genius

A photograph of Alfred Hitchcock by Jack Mitchell, 1972 (Wikimedia Commons)

Alfred Hitchcock is the Agatha Christie of the movie world.

His work is loaded with intrigue and suspense, yet there’s also a cozy quality to the pictures he directed, some of which are among the greatest films of all time.

But Hitchcock — despite all his talent — was not a perfect individual. In addition to his dark sense of humor, he also had a misogynistic streak that resulted in several uncomfortable incidents.

1. Alfred Hitchcock Played a Sadistic Prank on a Crew Member

A photograph of Alfred Hitchcock by an unknown photographer, 1943 (Wikimedia Commons)

Hitchcock was known for his pranking abilities. Some of the highlights include providing Sir Gerald du Maurier with a horse instead of flowers, messing around with whoopee cushions, and arranging a dinner party for Gertrude Lawrence where every item on the menu was blue.

But these examples are tame compared to the handcuff prank. The exact time and date are slightly ambiguous, yet multiple biographers have recorded the incident. In essence, Hitchcock — who was still in the early stages of his career — made a bet with…