Alfred Hitchcock is the king of thrillers and suspense, and a legend in his own right. His work has inspired numerous directors since his career’s beginnings, and he was a man who rarely compromised his vision; though complex and often problematic, according to others’ numerous on-set experiences, Hitchcock is one of the pioneers of the thriller genre whose works changed the movie landscape.
Hitchcock has directed over 50 feature films; he started his career in the 1920s with silent films and worked his way up to color features in the 1970s. Most of his films are black and white, and he rarely worked with color, but regardless of the format, some of these movies are more rewatchable than others. This may be different for everyone, but here are the ten greatest Alfred Hitchcock movies worth watching over and over.
10
‘Frenzy’ (1972)
Frenzy may be an unexpected addition right off the bat, but Hitchcock’s serial killer story is an incredible one. This late-career thriller takes a darker, more sardonic turn by showing a serial killer on a rampage across London. Frenzy was based on the 1966 novel Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square by Arthur La Bern, and the beginning of the movie references old serial killings, notably the Jack the Ripper case from the 19th century and the Christie murders that took place during the 1940s and 50s.
Frenzy follows former RAF member Richard Blaney (Jon Finch) becoming the prime suspect in a series of murders; one of the victims is his ex-wife, whom he visited on the day of her death, which implicates him. However, the movie quickly shows us who the real killer is, and the story takes intense turns depicting Blaney and the killer. You can’t help but scream at the TV about Blaney’s innocence or look away from the killer’s antics; it’s one of those movies that will stick with you for a while, and its mix of suspense, brutality, and even some humor makes it uniquely Hitchcock-like.
9
‘Dial M for Murder’ (1954)
Dial M for Murder is a film staged like a play, taking place in mostly one setting. This mirrors the stage play that came first; both the play and the script for the movie were written by English playwright Frederick Knott. Dial M for Murder is a masterclass in tension, elegance, and simplicity, but there’s nothing simple about the protagonist’s sinister murder plot, which was planned meticulously. Interestingly, there’s some use of 3D in this film; it was initially meant to be aired as a 3D projection, but the error-prone technology and a lack of interest changed Hitchcock’s plans to 2D instead.
Dial M for Murder follows Tony Wendice (Ray Milland), a retired pro athlete who learns his wealthy wife Margot (Grace Kelly) is having an affair with an American crime writer, Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). Tony plots Margot’s death so he can inherit her wealth, and gets involved with some seedy characters and former friends to achieve his plan. The story is suspenseful and highly rewatchable; you’ll love it for its narrative-heavy plot, brilliant twists, and superb performances.
8
‘Notorious’ (1946)
Notorious remains one of the best crime/spy thrillers of all time. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman‘s chemistry fuels the espionage romance, but their performances alone are worthy of every type of praise. Notorious is quite a special film as it raises the emotional stakes, combining it with the action and the espionage in a way that they can’t function without each other. Hitchcock’s vision of what a great spy thriller should be includes great storytelling, and is especially regarded as a moment of heightened maturity for the filmmaker.
Notorious follows American spy T.R. Devlin (Grant), who recruits the daughter of a German war criminal, Alicia Huberman (Bergman), to help him infiltrate a group of executives of the chemical company IG Farben; they’re hiding in Rio de Janeiro post-World War II, and among them is Alex Sebastian (Claude Rains), an executive whom Alicia has to seduce and spy on. When both Devlin and Sebastian fall in love with Alicia, and she falls in love with Devlin, the stakes are raised; Sebastian is a formidable antagonist, and the love story, as romantic as it is, gives way to the thrilling parts of espionage quite often.
7
‘Rope’ (1948)
Rope is a bold movie and one of the highlights of Hitchcock’s career; its long takes and real-time storytelling are among Hitchcock’s greatest displays of creative ingenuity. Rope was based on the 1929 play of the same title by Patrick Hamilton, and it’s Hitchcock’s first Technicolor film. James Stewart stars in one of his best and most potent roles, and this is another one of Hitchcock’s movies that takes place in a single setting (Dial M changes settings, though there are few, but this one doesn’t).
Rope follows two young men strangling their former classmate in their Manhattan penthouse apartment, hiding his body in a chest, and then throwing a party with his corpse still in the room. They do this as a form of an intellectual exercise, an attempt to prove superiority over others by committing a perfect crime. Their former housemaster from prep school, Rupert Cadell (Stewart), is there, too, and their wish is to impress him. Watching tensions rise in a single evening and a few long takes is unlike anything you’ll have seen. Rope is brilliant, attention-grabbing, and endlessly fascinating; a real treat to watch over and over again.
6
‘Strangers on a Train’ (1951)
Strangers on a Train is an underrated thriller from Hitchcock that’s as noir as it can get, without including some of the genre’s most obvious elements (e.g. a femme fatale). Strangers on a Train was based on Patricia Highsmith‘s novel of the same name and the screenplay was co-written by Raymond Chandler, one of the best crime writers of our time. The combo of Highsmith–Chandler–Hitchcock is a killer one, and this movie remains one of the director’s best and most immersive thrillers that is easy to watch over and over again.
Strangers on a Train follows tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger), who wants to divorce his promiscuous wife and marry his mistress. Guy meets a smooth-talking but psychopathic Bruno Antony (Robert Walker), who harbors disdain for his father. Bruno suggests to Guy they “swap murders,” aka if Bruno kills Guy’s wife, Guy can kill his father, and they can cover it all up for each other. Walker is intensely terrifying as Bruno; this is one of the most memorable and devious antagonists on film, and the film itself is pretty much flawless.
5
‘Rear Window’ (1954)
Rear Window is frequently on lists of the best suspense thrillers out there, and it’s a masterclass in both. James Stewart leads this voyeuristic nightmare by barely moving from one place; it’s a brilliant and highly rewatchable study of human curiosity and behavior, weaving a murder mystery into the plot. It’s another single-setting thriller, and this time also a point-of-view film, in which we, the viewers, also become Stewart’s character’s eyes and ears, seeing what he sees through a spyglass.
Rear Window follows professional photojournalist L.B. Jefferies (Stewart), whose leg is in a cast after a travel injury. L.B. lives in Greenwich Village and his apartment overlooks a courtyard that’s surrounded on all four sides by apartment buildings; while bored and idle, L.B. observes the neighbors through his photographer’s lenses. However, L.B. witnesses what seems like a murder in the building across from his. As a naturally curious human, L.B. can’t look away from the events in the apartment, but his inability to stop getting involved soon gets him in trouble. Rear Window keeps you guessing throughout, and it’s worth watching every once in a while.
4
‘Vertigo’ (1958)
Vertigo is often cited as Hitchcock’s greatest film, and comes close to perfection, indeed. Another Stewart-led feature, Vertigo, is a story of obsession, desire, and identity, three topics which are already pretty intense to cover; paired with Hitchcock’s dizzying camerawork, the movie becomes a claustrophobic paranoia thriller that never lets you know what the protagonist’s next move might be. Stewart is joined by Kim Novak, whose ethereal beauty and appearance complete the film’s intense plot, and the two make Vertigo a film that’s often deemed the director’s magnum opus.
Vertigo follows police detective Scottie Ferguson (Stewart) who retires from the force after experiencing an incident that causes him a fear of heights and vertigo. After becoming a private eye, Scottie is hired by an old acquaintance to follow his wife, Madeleine (Novak), who exhibits strange, almost possessed behavior. Vertigo depicts a sudden and quite painful unraveling of Scottie’s psychological state; it’s almost hypnotizing to watch, but then you’ll want to watch it again, and again, and again.
3
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Psycho is, of course, Hitchcock’s most famous film—it’s among numerous pop culture references, given homages by various directors, studied as exemplary filmmaking, and a twist on the usual storytelling process. Psycho is a cornerstone of modern thriller cinema, and Hitchcock’s mastery of timing, shock, and suspense ensures the movie never loses its edge. It remains a constantly well-sharpened knife, much like the one Norman Bates uses in the film. Psycho is rewatchable because of its iconic status and cinematic value, but also because it’s fun, intense, and pretty hard to compare to anything else.
Psycho follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a secretary for a travel agent, who steals money from her boss and plots to run away with her boyfriend to another state. During her drive, Marion stops along the way at a roadside motel, Bates Motel, which Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) runs with his mother. Psycho flips people’s expectations of a protagonist very quickly; we dive into the psyche of an unstable individual, and the narrative suddenly shifts, pulling us into the dangerous world of an unexpected main character.
2
‘The Birds’ (1963)
The Birds is an unconventional terror story, but with this one, Hitchcock turns nature into a relentless antagonist. The film’s tension, sound design, and unsettling atmosphere are what make The Birds so appealing; if you’re scared of birds (like me), this movie will make you say, “See, I told you so!” And if you’re not, well, you might become like me soon after. Tippi Hedren, who stars as the protagonist, later came out in saying that Hitchcock submitted her to some terrible behavior on the set of this film; knowing that, The Birds feels a lot more sinister while you watch it.
The Birds was based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier, and follows socialite Melanie Daniels (Hedren). After buying a pair of birds in a shop, Melanie becomes mysteriously haunted and chased by various birds, becoming the victim of various bird attacks. It’s one of the few Hitchcock films that was initially received with lukewarm reactions and then was reevaluated as one of the best horror movies of all time. It keeps viewers on edge, no matter how many times they watch it.
1
‘North by Northwest’ (1959)
North by Northwest is the ultimate “wrong man” movie, and one you’ll put on your watchlist at least once a year. It’s thrilling, adventurous, visually stunning, and superbly acted, and as the sum of all these parts, one of the greatest cinematic pieces ever made. Hitchcock joins forces with Cary Grant again, who’s a type of every man’s James Bond here; his case of mistaken identity leads him to remote and beautiful places, all while trying to prove his innocence.
North by Northwest follows Roger Thornhill (Grant), an advertising executive who gets mistaken for another man, gets kidnapped, and questioned. After his kidnappers try to kill him, Thornhill survives and begins his mission to prove his innocence and true identity. Grant is joined by Eva Marie Saint, and is effortlessly charming here. His action hero persona comes out in this movie, and from the crop-duster chase to Mount Rushmore, this movie is pure Hitchcock, combing style with thrills and great storytelling.
