From Rebecca (1940) to North By Northwest (1959), these are the best Alfred Hitchcock movies, ranked.
He was nicknamed the “Master of Suspense.” And for good reason. One of the most influential filmmakers of all time, and with a prolific directorial career spanning 50+ years (from a dusty Old Hollywood 1925 to a disco ball New Hollywood 1976), Alfred Hitchcock was a veritable force.
This legendary filmmaker hailing from jolly ol’ England was quite strikingly anything but jolly, as he boldly and brilliantly defined the thriller and horror genres. Hitchcock mastered the art of creating suspense and interweaving fear, which held his audience captive in awe. Hitchcock (aka Hitch) had his audience covering their eyes, squeezing their comfort pillows, and on occasion, even jumping in fright. The terror!
Born in England in 1899, and brought up in a strict Catholic household, Hitchcock was the youngest of three siblings. The accomplished director remembers having a lonely and anxious upbringing, where he developed a fascination for the macabre and the weird. As an adult he would one day state that the “only way to get rid of my fears is to make films about them.”
He started his career as a director in 1920s British silent cinema. Pleasure Garden marked his directorial debut in 1925. A huge cinephile, he watched almost everything that was made in those years. In the early 1920s, he was particularly influenced by the works of German Expressionist masters Fritz Lang and F.W. Murnau. Then, in 1927, Hitchcock made serial-killer thriller The Lodger, which propelled him into the limelight.
Fast forward 20+ films later, and in 1939, this future-monikered “Master of Suspense” relocated to the bright lights of Hollywood. There, his career took off. Film scholars attest that Hitchcock’s greatest productive time was between the 1940s and the early 1960s, where he bestowed upon the world some of its most revered and still popular thriller and horror films. Quickly then, here are the 20 greatest Alfred Hitchcock movies ranked:
Best Alfred Hitchcock Films, Ranked
20. To Catch a Thief (1955)
One might categorize To Catch a Thief as a frothy, light-hearted anomaly in Hitchcock’s otherwise pulse-pounding suspense films of the 1950s era. It’s more or less a playful crime thriller that boasts a rousingly charming lead pair played by Hollywood heavyweights Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. The narrative revolves around a retired cat burglar John Robie (Grant) who happily lives in the French Riviera. But he becomes the prime suspect when a string of robberies take place. In order to clear his name and find the true thief, Robie teams up with insurance investigator Hughson. Robie rounds up a list of the unknown thief’s possible future victims. One among them is a wealthy widow and her gorgeous yet disdainful daughter, Frances (Grace Kelly).
To Catch a Thief is Hitchcock’s harmless confection conceived with a sole intent to provide wholesome entertainment. The central mystery and the character backgrounds might seem implausible or too contrived. Yet the film charms us with its breezy tone, fantastic locales, and exciting performances. Similar to Hitchcock’s early classic Notorious (1946), romance and courtship gradually become the focus of the movie. However, the romantic relationship portrayed in To Catch a Thief isn’t as bleak as Notorious.
19. Lifeboat (1944)
Hitchcock, the master craftsman, often experimented with the use of space in his films. For example, a murder scene that unfolds in a shower in Psycho (1960) consisted of 78 camera set-ups and 52 cuts. Further, he on occasion generated suspense by setting his entire narratives within a confined space in a single setting. Enter Rope (1948) and Rear Window (1954). But long before all these spectacular instances, Hitchcock successfully experimented with confined space in his 1944 film Lifeboat. Set during World War II, the narrative follows a rag-tag bunch of people, who survive a German torpedo attack on a luxury steamer.
Among the nine survivors there’s a German sailor named Willy, who has survived a boat shelling by the Allied forces. Then, a wealthy newspaper columnist named Connie Porter (played by Tallulah Bankhead) emerges as the most interesting character. The production design and special effects of Lifeboat might seem crude for today’s standards. But Hitchcock does a fantastic job staging a clash between his characters. Marooned out in the vast sea, yet uncomfortably close on a lifeboat, how does this affect human nature? The lack of musical score and natural sound effects add to the movie’s eerie setting.
18. The Lodger: A Tale of the London Fog (1927)
The Lodger is Alfred Hitchcock’s third feature film, which is based on Marie Belloc Lowndes’ 1913 novel. Noteworthy, Lowndes’ story was considered to be the first novelization of the grisly, unsolved Jack the Ripper murders that occurred in East London back in 1888. In Hitchcock’s film, the serial-killer calls himself ‘Avenger,’ and only kills young blonde women on Tuesdays. On a foggy night, a young man named Jonathan Drew arrives at a lower-middle class household to rent a room. House owners Mr. and Mrs. Bunting are suspicious of Jonathan because he seems to fit the description and behavior of the prowling serial-killer. The couple only get more alarmed when Jonathan is attracted to their blonde clothing model daughter, Daisy.
The Lodger is an exciting piece of early Hitchcock cinema in that it showcases an eclectic mix of German expressionism and French impressionism. Hitchcock’s experiments with mise-en-scène played pretty well in the tense sequences. The Lodger also boasts one of Hitchcock’s longest running themes seen in his work, which is the persecution of the innocent individual. In the final moments, the filmmaker exercises his trademark style to effectively deal with this theme.
17. Spellbound (1945)
Spellbound marks the second of three collaborations between Alfred Hitchcock and renowned Hollywood producer David O. Selznick. But theirs wasn’t the smoothest of pairings. Although Selznick facilitated Hitchcock’s glorious Hollywood debut with Rebecca (1940), the two men continually engaged in conflict over creative control. But back to Spellbound. The popular studio-era scribe Ben Hecht penned the script. (It’s based on the novel The House of Dr. Edwardes.) Touted as Hollywood’s first movie about psychoanalysis, Spellbound was a passion project for Selznick.
The basic story tries to reduce Freud’s complex psychoanalytical ideas in order to fit a mystery/thriller framework. The narrative revolves around the new head of psychiatric center Green Manor, Dr. Anthony Edwardes (played by Gregory Peck). He meets Dr. Constance (played by Ingrid Bergman) at the facility and the two fall in love. But soon she discovers that the man she has fallen in love with is an imposter. Gasp! While Spellbound is an average mystery narrative, Hitchcock’s mise-en-scène is extraordinarily staged. The dream sequence in particular, which was designed in collaboration with surrealist painter Salvador Dali, still holds the power to capture our attention.
16. Frenzy (1972)
Frenzy was Hitchcock’s penultimate film and saw him return to an idea from his silent-era days. Like his 1927 movie The Lodger, Frenzy focuses on the crimes of a serial-rapist and murderer and the city-wide panic that ensues. It’s based on Arthur La Bern’s 1966 novel. Frenzy marked Hitchcock’s return to his British homeland, where he had not made a movie in over two decades. Further delectable factoid, it’s the first Hitchcock movie to be rated “R.” We are made aware of this in the film’s opening minutes as we see the nude body of a young woman, strangled with a neck-tie, floating in the Thames River. Cringe.
Richard Blaney, an unemployed, down-on-his-luck man finds himself to be the suspect in a serial-murder case. However, spoiler alert, the real perpetrator is a friendly man from the same neighborhood, who also befriends the innocent Blaney for sinister purposes. Although Frenzy is in familiar Hitchcock-ian territory, the filmmaker amplifies tension with his ingenious style. The eerie tracking shot of the staircase that follows the killer and his unknown victim is chilling.
15. The Wrong Man (1956)
The Wrong Man is a non-typical Hitchcock movie with a standard Hitchcock-ian theme: an innocent, ordinary man accused of a crime. It marks acting legend Henry Fonda’s one and only collaboration with the “Master of Suspense.” Fonda plays Manny Balestrero, a struggling musician playing in a band at a small jazz club. Despite financial difficulties, Manny lives happily with his wife Rose (played by Vera Miles). But when Manny tries to borrow money from the insurance company using his wife’s policy, he runs into trouble. A clerk and the police think that Manny bears a vague resemblance to the man who has committed a series of robberies. Soon, Manny finds the entire American legal system stacked against him.
Hitchcock creates an incredible atmosphere to heighten Manny’s paranoia and helplessness. There are no great twists or tense set-pieces like in Vertigo (1958) or Psycho (1960). But The Wrong Man perfectly puts us in the shoes of Manny, making us feel that it could happen to any of us. Additionally, Henry Fonda’s understated performance splendidly conveys the wronged man’s dazed mental state. We can imagine him thinking, “What’s going on???”
14. The 39 Steps (1935)
Among his early output in British cinema, The 39 Steps is considered to be the first true “Hitchcock” film. Alongside The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), it proved to be his breakout hit. In fact, The 39 Steps is the perennial favorite of Hitchcock himself, where he effortlessly infuses many of his trademark narrative traits and characterizations. An affable Canadian businessman named Richard Hannay (played by Robert Donat) gets embroiled in an espionage plot and is accused of killing a mysterious young woman, Annabella Smith.
Hannay makes a quick getaway and boards a train to Scotland to investigate the clues left behind by the murdered woman. The 39 Steps is based on John Buchan’s 1915 novel, which was turned into a fast-paced script by Charles Bennett. The film also shows Hitch’s ability to mix thrills and comedy to a great effect. While it lacks thematic or emotional depth, unlike Hitchcock’s later Hollywood films, it’s still watchable for the sheer visual pleasure. The framing and pacing of certain chase sequences still holds up pretty well.
13. Dial M for Murder (1954)
Starring Grace Kelly as Margot Wendice, Dial M for Murder tells the story of Tony (Ray Milland) plotting to kill his wife, after he finds out about her affair. He seeks the help of an old friend Charles to help him execute a sinister plan. But plans go awry when Margot manages to fend off her attacker, killing him. Tony tries to cover up his crime and frame Margot, while the Chief Inspector (John Williams) from Scotland Yard investigates the murder.
The moral dilemma now rests with the audience. Who’s right, and who’s wrong? Nothing is clear anymore. The dialectic opposites are battling each other not only in the film, but also in the minds of the viewers. Dial M for Murder is not as sleek or visually striking as Hitchcock’s greatest works like Rear Window (1954) or Vertigo (1958). But Hitchcock brilliantly uses his actors and their characters’ interpersonal dynamics to build tension.
12. Foreign Correspondent (1940)
This was Hitchcock’s second Hollywood film, following the great success of Rebecca (1940). It’s a war-themed thriller, which expands on the premise the filmmaker already dealt with in films like The 39 Steps (1935) and The Lady Vanishes (1938). The film revolves around intrepid crime reporter Johnny Jones (played by Joel McCrea), who is promoted as the newspaper’s new foreign correspondent. With clouds of war looming in the horizon, Jones travels to Amsterdam to interview a Dutch cabinet minister Van Meer. Van Meer is also a prominent diplomat who is vital to the peace negotiations in Europe. But when he is assassinated in front of Jones, the reporter embarks on a thrilling journey to unveil a terrifying conspiracy.
Foreign Correspondent contains nerve-wracking chase sequences, bouts of sardonic humor, and energetic performances. It was Hitchcock’s only collaboration with the celebrated Polish-Hungarian cinematographer Rudolph Mate. The shadowy staging and claustrophobic atmosphere, clearly influenced by German expressionist style, meticulously immerses us into this espionage adventure. The special effects are also highly innovative for its time, particularly the airplane crash sequence.
11. Rope (1948)
Rope is one of Hitchcock’s most unforgettable works. It narrates not only a gripping tale of murder, but also investigates the lives of those affected by it. The film is based on Patrick Hamilton’s play, which itself was based on the infamous Leopold and Loeb case. In May 1924, two wealthy university students lured their 14-year-old neighbor Bobby Frank and killed him. Both Leopold and Leob confessed to killing the boy just for the sake of thrill-seeking. Alfred Hitchcock uses this premise to stage his most extreme experiment.
He opens the film with the murder of an unfortunate young man. The filmmaker goes on to set the entire narrative inside the wealthy murderers’ penthouse apartment. Rope’s moral anchor is the cynical yet humane mentor of the two youngsters (a scene-stealing performance from James Stewart). The film also has a homosexual subtext which Hitchcock was unable to explore directly. At the same time, the filmmaker’s portrayal wasn’t exploitative or spiteful. A balanced and well-crafted suspense thriller, Rope is definitely among the finest in Hitchcock’s career.
10. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Similar to The 39 Steps (1935), The Lady Vanishes is an arguably relaxed and hugely entertaining British film from Hitchcock. Of course, the movie consists of a life-or-death scenario, but there’s a playfulness in the way Hitchcock unfolds the narrative. Sidebar, Hitch’s witty visual and narrative flourishes only got better in his subsequent American films.
But back to The Lady Vanishes. The initial narrative stretch feels like a screw-ball comedy as a rich, young British lady named Iris (played by Margaret Lockwood), vacationing in Europe, meets a kind old lady, who, like her, is a British national. The old woman Miss Froy (played by May Whitty) seems to be a governess.
They board a train at a central European town alongside a few other British tourists. Gilbert (played by Michael Redgrave), the musicologist, is the most enchanting lad among the fellow travelers. He helps Iris when she discovers that the old lady is missing. What’s more alarming is that no one else in the train acknowledges that the old woman ever existed. Soon, the duo uncover a powerful political conspiracy. Apart from Hitchcock’s clever aesthetics, The Lady Vanishes offers a glimpse into the era’s geopolitical issues.
9. Notorious (1946)
Alfred Hitchcock’s tense spy thriller revolves around Alicia Huberman (played by Ingrid Bergman), daughter of a captured Nazi Germany agent. She is approached by the cool and charismatic FBI agent Devlin (played by Cary Grant) to infiltrate a secret Nazi spy ring in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The FBI agent and freshly recruited spy’s relationship gets complex as they fall in love. Further, a certain menace lurks in the shadows for this love-struck couple. Yikes.
Notorious isn’t a well accomplished suspense thriller like Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959). Some of the character motivations and plot developments seem contrived. et Hitchcock’s primary intention with Notorious is to explore the tension in the relationship between Alicia and Delvin, and this is accomplished. The whole espionage story comes across as mere window-dressing, but this isn’t a bad thing. In fact, writer Ben Hecht’s keen characterizations, then Bergman and Grant’s phenomenal performances, and of course, Hitchcock’s intrepid visual flourishes make Notorious a brilliantly layered work about love, trust, and deception. It was a technical masterpiece for its time. Also keep a look-out for actor Claude Rains’ idiosyncratic villain Alex Sebastian. Intriguing!
8. Strangers On A Train (1951)
A study in human psychology, Strangers on a Train is simply one of the best films of all time. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel, the movie concerns two men who accidentally meet on a train. It all seems like a chance encounter, but their fates get irreversibly intertwined when one of them turns out to be a murderous maniac. The deliberations on the value of life and the burden on one’s conscience are profoundly explored. Strangers on a Train is wonderfully suspenseful, and quite action-packed for a Hitchcock movie.
The film also gives us some of the best Hollywood performances ever. Enter actor Robert Walker, whose menacing portrayal amplifies the tension, and furthers a plot that is completely original and stimulating. The narrative’s queer subtext has also been discussed quite a lot. There were rumors that Raymond Chandler’s script version had coded elements to suggest the characters’ homosexuality, and writer Ormonde’s final version removed everything. At the same time, many scholars and critics consider the carousel climax scene to be Hitchcock’s nuanced way of hinting at a character’s sexual passion.
7. The Birds (1963)
This is a quintessential Hitchcock movie and many call it the “last great Hitchcock film.” It tells the story of a small town that is ravaged by a violent bird population. The film opens with wealthy socialite Melanie Daniels (played by Tippi Hedren) traveling to a remote seaside town to confront the handsome bachelor Mitch Brenner (played by Rod Taylor), who had insulted her. While crossing the inlet, Melanie is attacked by a seagull. How odd. It’s the first in the series of escalating, inexplicable events that soon begin to haunt the picturesque town.
The Birds starts off like an innocuous romantic comedy and gradually veers into the territory of disaster cinema. But leave it to Hitchcock to turn something as insignificant as a bird infestation into material for unhinged horror and unrelenting suspense. The film ambitiously, courageously keeps its audience in the dark long into the drama. And there’s no escape! Add to that some excellent performances, fantastic special effects, and a chilling setting, and we get what is arguably the most immersive and ambiguous of Hitchcock cinema.
6. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Hitchcock has referred to Shadow of a Doubt as one of his personal favorites. It’s also one of the most influential Hitchcock movies, and not just in terms of style. The storyline has to some degree influenced well-respected films like Charles Laughton’s Night of the Hunter (1955), David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986) and Park Chan-wook’s American debut Stoker (2013). On the outset, Shadow of a Doubt seems like a drama set in a “normal” American small-town. But beneath the calm appearances lie evil, predatory people, and their behavior gradually unfolds in the narrative.
Charlie Newton (played by Teresa Wright), a bored teenager in Santa Rosa, California, is excited by the arrival of her worldly uncle (and namesake) Charlie Oakley (played by Joseph Cotten). But Charlie soon learns that her uncle might be the notorious serial-killer known as “Merry Widow Murderer.” One of the most underrated Hitchcock movies along with Rope (1948) and Notorious (1946), Shadow of A Doubt is undoubtedly one of Hitchcock’s best artistic pieces. Today, it has gained the reputation and acclaim that it so well deserved back then.
5. Rebecca (1940)
Rebecca was Hitchcock’s first film in Hollywood, and was produced by the legendary David O. Selznick. Based on a novel by Daphne du Maurier, it tells the story of a young unnamed woman (played by Joan Fontaine) who falls desperately in love with, and marries, a wealthy widower named Maxim de Winter (played by legendary Laurence Olivier). But as soon as she’s settled in his country estate, she uncovers disturbing secrets about his late wife, Rebecca. The new Mrs. Winter also finds it hard to get herself acquainted with the superficial ways of aristocratic class. Further, as if that’s not enough turmoil, the intimidating housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (played by Judith Anderson) who adored Rebecca, looks at the estate’s new mistress as an intruder. In fact, Mrs. Danvers is one of the most terrifying villains in all of Hitchcock’s oeuvre.
One of the finest psychological thrillers ever made, Rebecca hauntingly and effortlessly captures the Gothic feel of the novel. The ingenious visual style elevates the plot conflicts using the mansion architecture to a great effect. Noteworthy, this is surprisingly Hitchcock’s only film to win a Best Picture Oscar.
4. Rear Window (1954)
Enter Hitchcock and his talent of creating an extremely well-structured, suspenseful thriller all in one confined space. It’s Rear Window with beloved actor James Stewart. Stewart plays a man in a wheelchair, in an apartment, and sporting a telescope. Jeff is a photojournalist confined to a wheelchair, who passes time spying on his neighbors. But, he becomes suspicious of his neighbor Lars, who he comes to believe might have murdered his wife and gotten away with it. However, since Jeff can’t leave his apartment, it becomes increasingly difficult to prove his hunch.
Rear Window is a film about human curiosity and our innate inquisitiveness. Jeff’s compulsive prying feels relatable and Hitchcock cleverly makes voyeurs of us, making us the protagonist’s silent partner. Now unfortunately Hitchcock’s less than positive depiction of female characters is present here in Rear Window. Enter Hitchcock’s signature icy-blonde actress – this time it’s Grace Kelly, who plays Lisa, Jeff’s girlfriend. Hitchcock’s female characters seem to be relegated to either running into peril, or seeking domestic bliss and the validation of their male partners. Regardless, Hitchcock’s slow, suspenseful build-up and adrenaline-pumping tense moments keep us thoroughly invested in Jeff’s amateur armchair sleuthing, making Rear Window a masterpiece.
3. Vertigo (1958)
The affable all-American hero James Stewart, in his fourth and final collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock, plays one of the darkest roles of his career. Stewart’s Scottie Ferguson is a celebrated detective in the San Francisco Department until his acrophobia (fear of heights) leads him to quit the force. Subsequently he’s hired by an acquaintance to tail his wife Madeline (played by Kim Novak) because the man says she is behaving strangely. But Scottie falls in love with the beautiful Madeline, and his feelings are reciprocated. However, when she jumps off a bell tower, Scottie is unable to save her because of his fear of heights.
The episode leads to a nervous breakdown, and after getting released from the hospital Scottie meets Judy, a woman who looks exactly like Madeline. His obsession for Madeline only gets worse as he tries to resurrect the dead past. Most Hitchcock films consist of characters suffering from some form of psychosis, which manifests in the form of a harmful obsession. But Vertigo is the most distressing Hitchcock film that closely studies a man at the brink of psychosis. Truly chilling.
2. Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock somewhat abandoned his sardonic humor and refined tone to make this grittier, creepier monochromatic film. Psycho follows a desperate real estate secretary Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh), who embezzles a large sum of money, and goes on the run to start a new life with her lover Sam. Marion ultimately ends up at a remote motel. It’s run by a strange, unsettling man named Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins), who lives with his domineering mother in the creepy mansion opposite the motel. After a brief chat with Norman, Marion retires to her room, where something horrific happens. Meanwhile, Marion’s sister Lila, and Marion’s lover Sam, and a private detective, all try to learn of Marion’s whereabouts. However, Marion is never seen again.
Psycho is a boundary-pushing film, and not just for its iconic shower scene. Every little inventive camera angle, small Hitchcock-ian touch, and the rich subtext, offer the audience something they’ve never witnessed in cinema before. And perhaps since. Apart from Hitchcock’s brilliance, pay close attention to Hollywood newcomer Anthony Perkins’ magnificent performance as sinister Norman Bates. He is thoroughly believable as the tortured young man with a devious inner personality. Bone-chilling!
1. North By Northwest (1959)
Legendary Cary Grant embodies one of his most career-defining characters in North by Northwest. Enter suave New York City advertising executive Roger Thornhill, who is mistaken for the CIA agent George Kaplan. This case of mistaken identity brings a whole lot of trouble to Roger, and he goes on the run to find out the truth. North by Northwest’s plot is simple, and Ernest Lehman’s structurally-sound script is elevated and brought brilliantly to life by the one and only Hitch.
Kidnapped, drugged, chased, and more, Hitchcock’s Roger Thornhill is iconic. One could say that North by Northwest successfully paved the way for similarly daring male characters in Hollywood’s future. Enter 1960s James Bond and 1980s Indiana Jones. North by Northwest’s cinematic legacy is rich. Grant conveys a sleekness, slickness, and goodness in character that keeps us riveted and on the edge of our seat until the end. Aside from Grant’s spectacular performance, keep a watch out for the infamous crop duster scene (duck!) and the movie’s spellbinding finale scene, which is set atop an intimidatingly steep, shadowy Mount Rushmore. Hitchcock masterfully brings together mystery, action, and interweaves it with thriller and horror, in a skilled way that only he can.
Wrapping Up
“What is a man but a miserable pile of secrets?” This quote strongly resonates with the sentiments and core themes of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. The expertly crafted mysteries and the perfectly executed tales of suspense are all magnificent by-products of Hitchcock’s brilliance. Further, there are quite a few good Hitchcock films that haven’t found a place in this list. For Hitchcock buffs, additional recommendations include Blackmail (1929), Sabotage (1936), Stage Fright (1950), The Trouble with Harry (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and Marnie (1964).
(Edited by Joslyn Jay)
