In 1938 the film “The Lady Vanishes” was released. Personally this was one of my favorite Hitchcock films ever. Anyways, in the “The Lady Vanishes” there is a scene when characters Iris Henderson played by Margaret Lockwood, and Gilbert Redman played by Micheal Redgrave venture to the back of the train looking for the disappeared woman. Ironically enough there were magicians on the train, and in the back of the train is where they kept all of their gear. However as Iris and Micheal start to look for the lady, some of the bad guy or henchman for lack of a better term come to stop, and even kill them. As the man and Micheal begin to fight they run into a box and white birds start flying everywhere. I find this funny because white birds are a stereotype for magicians. Also the fight involved a knife, but that is all for another time. 
Moving on, in 1940 the Alfred Hitchcock film of “Rebecca” was realeased. This monster of a film would take to long to give a brief synopsis of, so I will just tell you the scenes of the birds occurring and the significance of it. Before the viewer finds out about the whole story of Rebecca, there is a small cut scene lasting only a few seconds that shows giant waves from the ocean crashing against a huge cliff. As the chaotic waves crash against the cliff a group of birds fly across the screen only preparing the audience that something is in store for the rest of the film. Another explain is down in the boat cottage on the beach. During this scene the whole plot is reviled on what really happened. However for this film lies were told and during this scene you “thin” you know what really happened, however as the viewer you later find out that what was told was later to find out as a lie. During this scene there is a bird cage that is hidden in the back. I find this hidden and extreme brilliant at the same time.
Finally, in the 1940 film of “Foreign Correspondent” has probably one of the most unique and odd form of birds that is in a Hitchcock film. Rather than a physical bird, or characteristics of birds like we have seen before, like a cage, we just have a character talking about birds constantly, and always bringing them up. And then there’s the elements and bits of Hitchcock that play and have played through all his films. Religious imagery, and innocent people thrust into danger. McCrea searches for proof that he really saw the old Van Meer, just as Margaret Lockwood sought to prove she saw the elderly miss Froy. Van Meer talks about birds constantly. I find this extremely interesting in the sense that Hitchcock goes completely untraditional even for himself in this film. However we should not be to surprised, because Hitchcock always has a purpose for what he is doing. Nothing is just mistakenly done. I guess this is why Hitchcock is one of the greatest of all time.
africk001 