8 Times Movie Directors Were Total Jerks To Their Actors

Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is widely-regarded as one of his greatest films, but it was a harrowing experience for actress Tippi Hedren, who described the filming of one scene as being the worst week of her entire life.

Hedren had asked Hitchcock how he planned to film a scene in which she would be attacked by a huge flock of rage-fuelled birds. Hitchock informed her that they'd be using mechanical birds, but had secretly arranged for live ones to be used instead. Crew members, fitted out with thick gloves to protect their arms, hurled dozens of the birds at Hedren. The beaks of the animals were held shut with elastic bands, but Hedren still nearly lost an eye when one of the birds gouged her cheek.

She broke down into floods of tears and was told to take some time off by a doctor. Even then, Hitchcock protested, saying that they couldn't afford to waste time waiting for her to get better. Hedren also claimed to suffer from nightmares of "flapping wings" for some time after the shooting of that scene.