Mitch Brenner
Background
Mitch Brenner is a criminal defense lawyer in San Francisco, California. His mother is Lydia Brenner and his sister is Cathy Brenner. Mitch's father died four years ago. He used to be in a relationship with Annie Hayworth.
During the events of The Birds (1963) played by Rod Taylor
Mitch asks Melanie Daniels if she can help him. He tells her that he would like to purchase some lovebirds for Cathy. He starts asking her questions about the birds and she makes up answers. She goes to pull a canary out of its cage and it flies away and starts circling the ceiling. Mitch manages to catch it and calls Melanie by her name and then tells her that they met in court.
In Bodega Bay, Mitch goes inside the house and finds some lovebirds. He sees Melanie in a boat and drives his car to the other side of the bay and waits for her at the dock. As she is getting close, a seagull swoops down and pecks her head. They go to The Tides Restaurant and Deke Carter asks Mitch what happened to Melanie. Deke tells Helen Carter to get some cotton and antiseptic. As he is cleaning her wound, Mitch asks Melanie why she is in Bodega Bay and she tells him, she came to drop off the birds and see her friend Annie. Mitch doesn't believe her and accuses her of wanting to see him. Lydia walks into the restaurant and Mitch introduces her to Melanie. Lydia is aloof with Melanie and Mitch tells her that he invited Melanie for dinner for bringing Cathy the lovebirds. In the evening Melanie goes to Mitch's house. She meets Cathy and Mitch mentions how the chickens won't eat. Lydia calls Fred Brinkmeyer and he tells her that Dan Fawcett's chickens won't eat either. After dinner, Lydia and Mitch talk about Melanie and Lydia mentions how often Melanie is mentioned in scandalous affairs in the newspapers. Melanie leaves and Mitch notices the large amount of birds clustered on the electric lines.
Mitch calls and asks Melanie to stay for Cathy's party. The next day at Cathy's party, Mitch invites Melanie to stay for dinner again. She tells him about her family history. During the party the kids are attacked by Seagulls, which then suddenly fly away. While they are about to have dinner, Lydia tries to get Melanie to leave and the house is attacked by sparrows. Afterwards, Deputy Al Malone comes to the house and thinks The Birds were just panicked. They tell him about the birthday party attack and he assumes the children disturbed The Birds. Lydia goes to drop off Cathy at school and then goes to Dan Fawcett's farm. She drives back home and runs into the house. When he finds out Dan is dead, Mitch goes to speak with Al and the Santa Rosa Police.
At The Tides Restaurant, Mitch walks in with Al and tells everyone about The Birds killing Dan. Al says that the Santa Rosa police believe that Dan was murdered by a burglar. They continue to debate about The Birds and a Businessman and Mother in Diner leave with her kids. Melanie hears a bird and calls everyone to the window where they watch as a seagull attacks a gas station attendant. The Mother in Diner runs back in with her kids while Mitch, Al and Deke go to help the attendant. Gas from the pumps pours out towards the Businessman's car and he is engulfed in flames when he lights his cigarette. A flock of seagulls start attacking the townspeople. Mitch helps Melanie back into the restaurant and they find Helen, Mother in Diner and Mrs. Bundy among others hiding in the hallway. The Mother in Diner accuses The Birds of attacking only when Melanie arrived in town and says she is the cause of it all and evil. The flock of seagulls leave and Mitch and Melanie leave to pick up Cathy at Annie's house.
When they arrive at the house they find Annie dead outside. Cathy runs from outside the house and Mitch carries Annie's body back into the house and they get into Melanie's car and drive back to Mitch's house. Mitch boards up the house windows. On the radio there is a report on the attacks at Bodega Bay. Melanie and Mitch go outside and see a flock of Birds flying inland. A large flock of seagulls and crows attack the house and some start to peck through the front door. The power goes out and suddenly The Birds leave. Later, Melanie hears the sound of Bird wings and goes upstairs. She opens a bedroom door and goes inside the room and is attacked by Birds. She collapses and Mitch manages to drag her out of the room. Lydia and Mitch bandage her up and Mitch tells Lydia that they have to get Melanie to a hospital in San Francisco. Mitch goes out to the garage and sees The Birds everywhere. He turns on the radio in Melanie's car and the radio announcer says that The Bird attacks have spread to the towns of Sebastopol and Santa Rosa. Mitch slowly drives the car to the front of the house and he and Lydia help Melanie into the car. Cathy brings her lovebirds into the car and they slowly drive to San Francisco as they are surrounded by The Birds.
