==Production== In 1961, Alfred Hitchcock originallyprivately offered the title role to [[Grace Kelly]], by then Princess Grace of Monaco, and she agreed. However, the citizens of Monaco objected to her appearing in a film, especially as a disturbed kleptomaniac. Also, when Kelly married [[Prince Rainier]] in 1956, she had not fulfilled her [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] contract; thus MGM could have prevented her appearance in any feature film unless she fulfilled her contract to MGM first. So sheKelly regretfully turned down the film, and Hitchcock put aside ''Marnie'' to work on ''[[The Birds (film)|The Birds]]'' (1963). ImmediatelyAfter completing ''The Birds'', itHitchcock returned to the Winston Graham adsptation, and the role of Marnie became a sought-after role in [[Hollywood]]. In thehis book ''Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie,'', [[Tony Lee Moral]] revealed that a studio executive at [[Paramount Pictures]] suggested actress [[Lee Remick]] to Hitchcock for the title role. [[Eva Marie Saint]], star of Hitchcock's ''[[North by Northwest]]'' (1959), and [[Susan Hampshire]] unsuccessfully pursued the role. Hitchcock also considered two other actresses who were, like Hedren, under personal contract to him, [[Vera Miles]] and [[Claire Griswold]], wife of director/actor [[Sydney Pollack]].
Hitchcock had discovered Tippi Hedren in a television commercial (for diet drink Sego, (shown during the [[Today (NBC program)|''Today'' show]]) in 1961) and signed her to a personal contract. He trained her, including [[screen test]]s filmed with actor [[Martin Balsam]], and then cast her in ''[[The Birds (film)|The Birds]]'' (1963). He offered her the role during filming of ''The Birds''. Hedren told writer Moral that she was "amazed" that Hitchcock would offer her this "incredible role", calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity". In 2005, more than 40 years after the film's release, she declared in an interview that ''Marnie'' is the favorite of her two films for Hitchcock, because of the intriguing, complex, challenging character that she played.<ref>{{cite web | author = Leon Worden|url= http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/signal/newsmaker/sg030605.htm | title= SCV NEWSMAKER OF THE WEEK: Tippi Hedren | publisher= Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society | accessdate=2005-03-05}}</ref> ''Marnie'' continues to have its admirers, as actress [[Catherine Deneuve]] indicated that she would have loved to have played Marnie.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1577158,00.html |title=Catherine Deneuve |publisher= Guardian |last=Andrew |first=Geoff |date=[[September 21]] [[2005]]}}</ref> Actress [[Naomi Watts]] dressed up as Hedren's Marnie for the March 2008 issue of ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' magazine.<ref>[http://www.cinematical.com/media/2008/02/hitch12-(2).jpg ''Vanity Fair'' photograph]</ref> |