Originally, there was a scene explaining why the couple was standing outside the house. The sequence is now lost, save for the script and a few behind the scene pictures. It featured Mitch burning dead birds from the attack of the day before. It also attempted to offer what some viewers and critics felt was missing from the film: an explanation for the attacks. Although, obviously, what it actually did was showing the characters conjecturing about it the same way the spectators do, and in a way strongly reminiscent of Walt Disney cartoons, like Who Killed Cock Robin? which Hitchcock previously used in his feature Sabotage. Indeed, they imagine a sparrow on top of a soap box preaching to other birds about humans.
After Lydia leaves to drive the Fawcette farm, the script, dated January 26, 1962, reads:
Melanie finished brushing her teeth. She goes to the window and looks out. Outside, we HEAR the SOUND of the pickup truck starting.
FULL SHOT - THE YARD BELOW - MELANIE'S P.O.V.
as Cathy, carrying her schoolbooks, runs to the pickup truck and climbs in. The truck moves out of the yard and down the road. It turns the bend, and moves out of sight.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
turning from the window. She goes to the bedroom door, CAMERA FOLLOWING. She opens the door.
MELANIE
Mitch?
(There is no answer.)
MELANIE
Mitch?
FULL SHOT - MELANIE
coming down the steps from the attic room. The house is empty. The CAMERA FOLLOWS her into the dining room, where she stops at the cage of lovebirds, bends down to them with a smile on her face.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE AND THE BIRDS
She smiles and pokes her finger into the cage. The birds TWEET at her.
MELANIE
(imitating them)
Chee-chee-chee-chee-chee.
FULL SHOT - MELANIE
leaving the cage. She walks to the sideboard upon which is an electric coffee percolator which is plugged into the wall. She feels it with her hand. It is hot. She pours a cup, then peers out of the side window.
348A LONG SHOT - MELANIE'S P.O.V.
Mitch on the shore, working with rake in his hands. A thin column of smoke is climbing the sky.
348B MED. SHOT - MELANIE
carrying the cup of coffee. She sets it down for a moment to put on her fur coat, which is hanging on the hall stand. She picks up the cup again, walks to the front door and EXITS.
349 FULL SHOT - MELANIE
coming out of the house and into the garden, carrying the cup of coffee. It is a beautiful day. She sips at her coffee and then breathes deeply of the air.
350 CLOSE SHOT - HER FACE
fresh, rested. There is a contentment in her which we have not seen before. She looks off toward the shore.
351 LONG SHOT - MITCH
on the shore, working with the rake. the thin column of smoke is climbing the sky.
352 MED. SHOT - MELANIE
She turns her attention away from Mitch, and walks to the end of the garden toward the shore. A wind is blowing off the water, moving white puffs of cloud swiftly across the sky, whipping the full short shirt of muumuu about her legs as she walks. She stands there silhouetted against the sky for a moment.
353 SLOW PAN
as Melanie scans the horizon. There isn't a bird anywhere in sight. The day is still and clear, but somehow ominous in its silence. Her gaze comes to rest on Mitch and the thin column of smoke again. In the distance, Mitch sees her and raises his arm in greeting. She waves back at him. He puts the rake down and begins walking toward the house.
354 CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
There is anticipation on her face now. She watches Mitch coming toward her, her eyes glowing.
355 FULL SHOT - MITCH
closer to the house now.
356 CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
waiting, anticipating.
357 MED. SHOT - MITCH
He stops, looks at her, and then turns toward the house.
358 CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
at first surprised, and then puzzled. The back screen DOOR CLATTERS shut off screen. A small hurt look crosses her face.
359 FULL SHOT - MELANIE
as she turns away from the house and begins walking in the garden, sipping idly at her coffee. A screen DOOR CLATTERS again. She turns. Mitch is coming out of the house, from the front door, wearing a different shirt, buttoning it as he walks to her.
360 TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH
MITCH
I wanted to change my shirt.
Melanie is uncomprehending.
MITCH (contd)
It smelled of the fire.
MELANIE
(nodding)
It's hard to believe anything at all happened yesterday, isn't it? It's so beautiful and still now.
(pause; then sagely)
I think I've got it all figured out, by the way.
MITCH
Really? Tell me about it.
MELANIE
(secretively)
It's an uprising.
MITCH
Of birds?
MELANIE
Certainly, of birds.
Mitch grins.
MELANIE (contd)
It all started several months ago with a peasant sparrow up in the hills, a malcontent. He went aronud telling all the other sparrows tht human beings weren't fit to rule this planet, preaching wherever anyone would listen...
MITCH
Growing a beard...
MELANIE
(delighted)
Yes, of course, he had to have a beard! 'Birds of the world, unite!' he kept saying, over and over...
MITCH
So they united.
MELANIE
Not at first. Oh yes, a few sparrows out for kicks...
MITCH
Well, they'll go along with anything.
MELANIE
Sure. But eventually, even the more serious-minded birds began to listen. "Why should humans rule?" they asked themselves.
MITCH
Hear!
MELANIE
Why should we submit ourselves to their domination?
MITCH
Hear, hear!
MELANIE
And all the while, that sparrow was getting in his little messages. Birds of the world, unite!
MITCH
Take wing!
MELANIE
You have nothing to lose but your feathers. They both burst out laughing, then fall into silence, then laugh again and finally are silent. The garden is deathly still.
MITCH
(attempting to be serious)
What it was, probably...
MELANIE
Mmm?
MITCH
They're probably hungry, that's all. This was a bad summer. They eat berries and... and nuts, you know, and the hills are all burned out, so they're probably searching for food wherever they can get it.
MELANIE
With my little sparrow leading them.
She laughs, and Mitch joins her, but it is hollow this time. Like children who have told themselves a too-realistic horror story, they are becoming a little frightened.
MITCH
It's so damn quiet out there.
MELANIE
It was like that yesterday.
MITCH
What do you mean?
MELANIE
After the gulls attacked.
MITCH
I hadn't thought of that.
(pause)
And then the swifts came.
MELANIE
It makes you feel as if they're... they're waiting or... resting... or...
MITCH
(trying to make it light again)
No they're having a meeting, Melanie. your sparrow is standing on a soap box and...
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
her face dead serious.
CLOSE SHOT - MITCH
MITCH
...waving his little wings...
His voice trails. His face becomes serious, too. Again, the garden is silent.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
her face set and grim, her eyes serious, her words coming slowly and with the chill of horror on them.
MELANIE
They were angry, Mitch. They came out of the chimney in fury.
(pause)
I had the feeling they wanted each and every one of us dead.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH
He takes her in his arms suddenly, to comfort her. She goes to him longingly.
MITCH
Melanie, Melanie...
MELANIE
I'm frightened, Mitch.
MITCH
No, no...
MELANIE
I'm frightened and confused and I... I think I want to go back to San Francisco where there are buildings and... and concrete and...
MITCH
Melanie...
MELANIE
...everything I know.
She looks up at him suddenly.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
MELANIE
Oh damn it, why did you have to walk into that shop?
They kiss suddenly and fiercely. On their kiss,
DISSOLVE
EXT. FAWCETT FARM - FULL SHOT - THE RED PICKUP TRUCK
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