Why Hitchcock Had No Time for Ben-Hur and Cleopatra

Alfred Hitchcock, a bloke whose name is now shorthand for suspense, never shied away from having a dig at even the most celebrated films. His influence on cinema is so massive that directors across generations have credited him as the reason they got into the business. Hitchcock’s knack for discussing his craft, especially how he played with the audience’s attention, made him a bit of a mentor for film buffs everywhere.

He was especially chuffed with his work on The Birds, a film that demanded careful planning to pull off those infamous bird attack scenes. While The Birds might not always be listed alongside his top-tier classics like Vertigo or Rear Window, it showed Hitchcock’s refusal to stick to the usual playbook. Most filmmakers steer clear of working with animals, but Hitchcock managed to create some truly tense moments with flocks of gulls going after unsuspecting locals.

Hitchcock’s Take on Big-Budget Epics

One thing that set The Birds apart was its relatively modest production, despite nabbing an Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects. Hitchcock reckoned the creativity and effort needed to choreograph those scenes was a bigger achievement than simply building massive sets and hiring hundreds of extras. In his words, period blockbusters like Cleopatra and Ben-Hur were all about

“just quantities of people and scenery,”

and took

“nothing”

compared to the headaches he faced with The Birds.

For Hitchcock, recreating ancient pyramids or kitting out extras in Roman gear was more about production design than real filmmaking skill. While some might say he was just taking the mickey out of his peers, his point about valuing inventiveness over splashing cash wasn’t entirely off the mark. Hollywood’s obsession with pouring heaps of money into historical epics eventually led to a string of box office flops in the late ‘60s, paving the way for the rise of the so-called New Hollywood era.

Cleopatra and Ben-Hur: Hits and Misses

Cleopatra, for example, is remembered as much for its troubled production as for anything on screen. The film nearly sent 20th Century Fox broke, and while it did alright at the box office and even scored a Best Picture nomination, the costs were so high it barely made a dent in its budget.

As for Ben-Hur, Hitchcock’s lack of enthusiasm might have had a bit of envy mixed in. William Wyler’s epic is still seen as a milestone in both spectacle and technical achievement. Sure, it cost a fortune, but Ben-Hur broke new ground with its action sequences, especially the legendary chariot race that closes the film.

Oscars, Rivalries, and a Bit of Sour Grapes

Hitchcock’s jabs at Ben-Hur and Cleopatra could have been fuelled by their awards success. Despite directing the Best Picture winner Rebecca, Hitchcock himself never took home the Oscar for Best Director. Ben-Hur set a record with eleven Oscar wins, a feat only matched by Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Cleopatra didn’t sweep the awards, but it did beat The Birds for Best Special Effects, which might have sparked Hitchcock’s one-sided rivalry.