While she was incomparable as Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show, her most profound impact on the collective unconscious came with her portrayal of Annie Hayworth in Hitchcock's The Birds.
The human race can be dichotomized along many different lines: Dog people vs. Cat people. Rollercoaster freaks vs. Ferris Wheel junkies. Carrot eaters vs. Celery fans. People who melt at the sound of Karen Carpenter's voice vs. People who just don't get it.
In The Birds two archetypes meet: Tippi Hedren's icy blond ... vs. Suzanne Pleshette's smoldering brunette.
The odds were against Pleshette. Annie Hayworth is Bodega Bay's schoolteacher, a single woman headed for spinsterhood - dumped by Rod Taylor's Mitch Brenner. (Taylor's cleft chin actually received a special Oscar that year, presented by Kirk Douglas.) Mitch takes up with Melanie Daniels (Tippi) soon after she drives up from San Francisco with a pair of lovebirds, no doubt signaling to the audience Hitchcock's preference.
Yet Pleshette subverts all expectations by simply out-sexying Tippi Hedren. If the world can be divided between Suzanne Pleshette people and Tippi Hedren people, then the former group is surely larger. No contest. I combed YouTube for video proof of my unarguable thesis. Here's a remix of the scene where Annie and Melanie chat about Mitch and Mitch's mother in Annie's cottage:
I can't tell what Annie is serving. (Port? Sherry? Scotch?) Clearly she's a good host. More importantly, look at the way she smokes!
To be sure, I am NOT using the death of Suzanne Pleshette as an excuse to bash Tippi Hedren. As readers of this blog know, it's not anti-Tippi Hedren to be pro-Suzanne Pleshette. In fact in 1996 I had the pleasure of meeting Tippi Hedren on a special tour of her California nature preserve Shambala. (My friend Richard was working at Fox Television and his boss Trevor took him and a group of friends, including me, on a tour.) After the psychological torment Tippi underwent at the hands of Hitchcock, it's remarkable that she maintains the presence of mind to interface with cheetahs and pumas on a daily basis.
I'm merely paying tribute to the achievements of actress (and unwitting brunette activist) Suzanne Pleshette, in a culture that worships blonds.
Look at this scene from The Birds:
At 3:00, Annie takes the information that Melanie has given her and, without missing a beat, takes control. Witness her calm during crisis. (Annie Hayworth for FEMA chief!)
I drove up to Bodega Bay in 2004 and had my picture taken in front of that schoolhouse. Sadly I can't find it now. Here's a picture of the mouse pad I bought, though:
By the way the scene in the diner in The Birds is my favorite. Mrs. Bundy, in the center of the mouse pad, is the elderly ornithologist who doubts Melanie's claims about the murderous birds.
I have long hated Mrs. Bundy. The character, played by English stage actress Ethel Griffies, is perhaps the greatest portrait of a know-it-all in cinema history. I can still hear my grandmother scowling at the TV when Mrs. Bundy lectures Melanie about birds being on "this planet since archeopteris, 140 million years ago." Meanwhile the seaside town is on the verge of catastrophe!
When the town needs action, Mrs. Bundy is the opposite, an ineffectual eggheady wonk. Frankly she is the reason that I would have had to vote for Eisenhower over Adlai Stevenson. She is imprisoned in her own ivory tower, completely detached from reality. Mrs. Bundy prattles while Bodega Bay burns.
I'm convinced that if Annie Hayworth's eyes hadn't been plucked out by this part of the movie, then the gas station never would have blown up.
Do you have any thoughts on the passing of Suzanne Pleshette? Or opinions on Mrs. Bundy?
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 5)
16. I fell in love with Suzanne Pleshette the first time I saw her. She was on an episode of "Dr.Kildare" (Richard Chamberlain) and I loved her deep throaty voice. One line I have never forgotten was when Suzanne told Dr Kildare: 'Doctor, I AM the world's greatest ding-a-ling". Rest In Peace.
Robert L.Sorensen at 8:33AM on Jan 21st 2008
17. Dear Fellow Mourners,
Great post Mo- (you were competing with the Giants-Packers game...I just know more posts would have been added last night were it not for that match, or game or whatever they call it.)
I loved Suzanne! Her voice alone (that delicious purr!) was enough to sustain me while watching her! Every thing she was involved with made me feel as if a friend were on screen.
This news has made me genuinely sad. I actually teared up...:'(
As for the movie: "The Birds" your comment -
"After the psychological torment Tippi underwent at the hands of Hitchcock, it's remarkable that she maintains the presence of mind to interface with cheetahs and pumas on a daily basis."--this crystallized my feelings darling Mo. So beautifully stated! That movie was the first landmark of childlike innocence lost.
Mrs Bundy! *shiver* Desiccating joy in whatever room she occupies! Weilding intellect as a machete, maintaining that right brain function is inferior/(got to give Ethel Griffies credit, great actress). Really what DO you expect with people like HER. (they all graduated from the Josef Mengele School of Charm!)
Thankyou so much for this post Mo...it's heartening to see we all share the same love of Suzanne Pleshette.
:'(...Kate
p.s. where ever did you get that mouse pad, I love it!
ah, clem at 9:54AM on Jan 21st 2008
18. Those who continually put others down in order to elevate themselves are truly the saddest of all. And such sneaky pumas and cheetahs!
Rest in peace Suzanne.
There are still some sidewinders amongst us, indeed.
Shudder shudder...
W at 10:43AM on Jan 21st 2008
19. Just watched it: Mrs. Bundy is indeed a controversially divisive figure.
Plus,
she looks like a communist AND possibly a man-hater in that beret!
Just kidding. Mo!!!! But it was an interesting costume that Hitchcock chose for her to wear.
She actually sounds like most of the other skeptics in the room to me, but one who's also a birdwatcher and therefore uses the Latin, which can be annoying.
I wouldn't go so far as to compare her to Mengele.
But yes, definitely the horror movie cliche of the condescendng expert who poo-poos the concerns of those who know NOT TO OPEN THAT DOOR!!!
Ls at 11:04AM on Jan 21st 2008
20. Suzanne Pleshette in "If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium" (1969) is the sexiest woman ever!! There's this scene where she's wearing nothing but Ian McShane's shirt....whew!
trobichm at 1:02PM on Jan 21st 2008
21. Aw Mo,
Suzanne Pleshette was a pleasure and a gift.
I never could understand why Dr. Bob Hartley had such a long dream about another woman.
Anyway, for anyone who doesn't think "The Birds" is scary-real, go down to the shore with a loaf of bread and feed a flock of seagulls.
God bless you Suzanne.
JG
John Giza at 11:14AM on Jan 21st 2008
22. I remember Suzanne Pleshette as the heroine in all those 50's Troy Donahue movies...you can't have two blondes in love. She was great and she gave all us brunettes hope that love was not only for the flaxen-haired.
vicky alvarez at 11:40AM on Jan 21st 2008
23. Mo,
have you returned home safely I hope?
rest, rest, rest... was it Richard Jeni who said, "I travel so much that I can't fall asleep unless my pillow smells like a Shriner." ? can you relate? :)
Ls-didn't want to offend your sensibilities, merely making the point of the perils of "intellectualism" with out humanity= gives us say.... Ann Coulter for example......or Bilge O'Reilly and Mrs. Bundy.
Meanwhile the levees are crumbling... ;)
ah, clem at 12:01PM on Jan 21st 2008
24. I loved Suzanne in 'The Birds'. One of my favorite images in the history of cinema is the beautiful Suzanne standing in front of her red mailbox, with the schoolhouse behind her as Melanie pulls away. Pure Hitchcock genius.
Her scenes with Tippi were tantalizing. Suzanne wore a tight grey blouse, and Tippi was the perfect counterbalance. Hitch gave you a choice - The raven haired beauty or the blonde beauty - or both!
RIP Suzanne..
As for Mrs. Bundy - I always thought the scene in the restaurant was a nice little microcosm of the battle between fear and logic. Mrs. Bundy was infuriatingly stubborn, and the drunkard at the end of the bar was equally annoying with his constant quoting of scripture and then there's everyone in between chipping in their 2 cents.
I always thought the mother of the 2 kids was the most annoying person in the room - "can you ask them to keep their voices down.. they're frightening the children" - More like.. 'They're frightening me'. She didn't even have the guts to admit she was more freightened than her children, and tried to shift the source of her fear onto them.
fabio at 12:46PM on Jan 21st 2008
25. I pray Greta Garbo, Katherine and Audrey Hepburn are greeting their fabulous fourth in heaven right now. Rest in Peace, Ms. Pleshette. You were one classy dame.
Kity at 1:20PM on Jan 21st 2008
26. Aw Mo,
I don't wish to take away from the tribute to Suzanne Pleshette, but I must respectfully reserve judgement on Mrs. Bundy.
Reasoning: Hitchcock was notoriously homophobic and manipulative. I'm not exactly sure what he was trying to do with this character in 1963 (is this still considered post war or cold war?).
Mrs. Bundy is apparently a two dimensional character of amorphous sexuality who relies upon intellect for her pacifist exhortations.
Are we being manipulated into despising her?
On a separate note, it is interesting that once again you feature a prop in mirror image. Have you been brushing up on Lacan instead of reading Anna Karenina?
JG
John Giza at 1:52PM on Jan 21st 2008
27. Oops,
Due acknowledgments to Ls. Just saw your comment and see you were on to this too.
For anyone interested in Hitchcock and political construction of gender, a good read is "In the Name of National Security" by Robert J. Corber. It is a bit academic, but a good read, especially if you have the Hitchcock movies on hand to go along with it.
Again,
God Bless You Suzanne Pleshette.
JG
John Giza at 2:29PM on Jan 21st 2008
28. I always thought she was hot. Does that make me old?
Dale
http://onelargemall.com
Dale at 2:48PM on Jan 21st 2008
29. ...and we're stuck looking at Brittney.
Sad.
This is creative:
http://www.fakebuddy.com
jackie at 3:09PM on Jan 21st 2008
30. a truly awful movie, mr. buddwing, featured a very nice suzanne pleshette. what a doll. always was, always will be. good night, emily.
elvisparsley at 3:12PM on Jan 21st 2008