5 Hitchcock films which never saw the light of day

Rightly nicknamed “The Master of Suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock is considered one of the greatest and the most prolific filmmakers in history. On this day, 11 June, 1928 his first film The Case of Johnathan Drew hit the theatres. Four decades after the release of his last film, The Family Plot, we bring you 5 Hitchcock films which never really saw the light of day…

Number 13

This film was supposed to be Hitchcock’s directorial debut but the project was scrapped after the shooting a few scenes. The plot revolved around low-income residents of a building in London, financed by The Peabody Trust, which was founded by American banker-philanthropist George Foster Peabody, to offer affordable housing. He rarely ever spoke about the film but on one occasion referred to it as a “chastening experience” because the plug was pulled on the project due to lack of funds.

The Bramble Bush

The story was adapted from David Duncan’s 1948 novel, the plot talks about a disaffected Communist agitator who happened to be on the run from the police and is forced to adopt the identity of a murder suspect. Hitchcock believed none of the scripts he received elevate the movie beyond an ordinary chase story, and Warner Brothers allowed him to kill the project and move on to “Dial M for Murder” (1954).

No Bail For the Judge

The film was supposed to be an adaptation of a thriller novel by Henry Cecil. The plot revolved around an English barrister who, with the help of a gentleman thief, has to defend her father, a High Court judge, when he is accused of murdering a prostitute. In the place of his usual blonde actresses, Audrey Hepburn would have played the barrister instead. Hepburn who was an ardent fan of Hitchcock’s work and had long wanted to appear in one of his films but later left the film partly because of the near-rape scene, but mainly due to a pregnancy.

Frenzy

The plot talks about a young, handsome bodybuilder who lures young women to their deaths. Hitchcock discussed the script with friend and renowned French New Wave director Francois Truffaut, who expressed concern regarding the excessive amount of sex and violence in the film. David Hemmings, Robert Redford, and Michael Caine all been in the running for the lead role. Inspite of Hitchcock promising to make the film under $1 million, the film was never made.

The Short Night

This was Hitchcock’s last and unfinished project. The story was an adaptation of a spy thriller by writer Ronald Kirkbride by the same name. Clint Eastwood, and Sean Connery were possible male leads. The film’s production faced several problems. The writers were changed several times and coupled with Hitchcock’s ill health, the film was never completed.