When it comes to iconic filmmakers, Alfred Hitchcock ranks as one of the most influential directors who made his mark with suspenseful mysteries and intense dramas such as North by Northwest, Strangers on a Train, and Rear Window. Known as The Master of Suspense, Hitchcock redefined the silver screen thriller with groundbreaking camerawork, impressionable characters, and alluring storytelling that continues to inspire filmmakers today.
While Hitchcock delivered an array of timeless classics, some of his works, like Blackmail, Rebecca, and The Birds, are considered by many to be among his most crucial films. Out of the legendary director’s extensive list of titles, including the 1960 thriller Psycho and Notorious starring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, these are the ten most important Hitchcock movies, ranked.
11
‘The Birds’ (1963)
Starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, and Jessica Tandy
The infamous Hitchcock blonde, Tippi Hedren, made her feature film debut in The Birds as a socialite, Melanie Daniels, who, after meeting a young lawyer, Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), decides to travel to Bodega Bay to personally deliver his sister’s birthday present, a pair of lovebirds, to him. Shortly after her arrival, the birds on the island begin viciously attacking the residents for no apparent reason, terrorizing the entire community into a chaotic frenzy.
The Birds is a fascinating thriller that showcases Hitchcock’s remarkable ability to induce fear by not providing any rhyme or reason to the birds’ unprovoked actions. Hitchcock successfully utilizes a bird’s unpredictable and subtle movements to gradually build the suspense in scenes, notably when Hedren’s character is sitting outside the school and crows start to slowly emerge onto the playground in the background, leaving audiences in unbearable anticipation.
10
‘Shadow of a Doubt’ (1943)
Starring Joseph Cotten, Teresa Wright, and Macdonald Carey
Known for his heroic, supporting roles, Joseph Cotten goes against-type in Hitchcock’s classic noir Shadow of a Doubt as a charming and beloved uncle, Charles Oakley, who travels to Santa Rosa to visit his family. His family is thrilled to see him, notably his niece and namesake, Charlie (Teresa Wright), who adores her uncle, but as she begins to spend more time with him, she starts to suspect that he is secretly a serial killer known as the Merry Widow killer.
Hitchcock’s choice to cast Cotten as Uncle Charlie was a bold but brilliant move that paid off as Cotten delivers an ideal performance as an unsuspecting madman who conceals his true nature with charisma and pure magnetism. Out of all of Hitchcock’s movies, Shadow of a Doubt reigned as his personal favorite film and between the phenomenal performances and the intriguing murder mystery tied into psychological thrills, it’s easy to see why.
9
‘Rear Window’ (1954)
Starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Thelma Ritter
James Stewart stars in Hitchcock’s signature psychological thriller, Rear Window, as a photographer, Jeff Jefferies, who, after breaking his leg, is bound to a wheelchair and his apartment, keeping him cooped up and bored. In an effort to pass the time, Jefferies begins watching his neighbors and becomes familiar with them and their everyday routine as a source of entertainment. One night, he witnesses a married couple having a heated argument and when the wife suddenly disappears, Jefferies begins to suspect that her husband is responsible.
Rear Window stands to be one of Hitchcock’s most important and groundbreaking films for its immersive point-of-view shots, ultimately placing audiences directly in the thick of things. The film is also recognized for its detailed courtyard, which is vibrant with rich colors and decorated with individual apartments that each convey their own world in a colony-like setting. Today, Rear Window is considered to be one of the greatest movies of all time and is also credited as one of Hitchcock’s finest films.
8
‘Strangers on a Train’ (1951)
Starring Robert Walker, Farley Granger, and Ruth Roman
While on board a train, a tennis star, Guy Haines (Farley Granger), strikes up a conversation with another passenger, Bruno Antony (Robert Walker) and confides in him about his current problem with his unfaithful wife, who refuses to grant him a divorce. Unbeknownst to Guy, his conversation with Bruno, who is a sophisticated psychopath, leads him to take care of Guy’s problem himself, but then demands that the star athlete return the favor by murdering his father.
The old adage of “never talk to strangers” is taken into a literal and deadly sense in Hitchcock’s 1951 classic noir thriller, Strangers on a Train, which is celebrated for its innovative close-up shots (notably the glasses and carousel scenes) and eccentric characters who are twisted into a devious murder plot. Aside from Hitchcock’s keen eye, Walker delivers a powerhouse performance that inevitably establishes Bruno as one of the best classic film noir villains.
7
‘Rebecca’ (1940)
Starring Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, and George Sanders
Joan Fontaine stars as a young, self-conscious woman who is swept off her feet by a wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier), while visiting the French Riviera. When the two decide to get married, they return to Maxim’s elaborate manor, Manderley, where she struggles to establish herself in the home that is haunted by the memories of the first Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca. As the new Mrs. de Winter learns more about Rebecca and her death, she begins to suspect that her new husband may have been involved.
Hitchcock made his American debut with the romantic psychological thriller, Rebecca, which is based on Daphne du Maurier‘s 1938 novel by the same name. The stunning cinematography and ghostly, shadow-filled backdrop of Manderley essentially set an ominous tone, elevating the film’s suspense as well as the audiences’ curiosity, making Rebecca Hitchcock’s perfect introduction to American cinema. Rebecca received eleven Academy Award nominations, including Hitchcock’s first nomination for Best Director, and ended up winning for Best Picture and Best Cinematography.
6
‘Notorious’ (1946)
Starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains
Notorious is an exciting espionage classic starring Cary Grant as a U.S. government agent, T.R. Devlin, who recruits the daughter of a convicted war criminal, Alicia Hubermann (Ingrid Bergman) to go undercover and gain the trust of a Nazi, Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains) who has been hiding out in Brazil. Alicia is successful and gains Alexander’s affections, but when their relationship becomes serious, she puts herself and the mission in serious jeopardy that could cost her her life.
According to The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock by Donald Spoto, Notorious was a pivotal achievement in Hitchcock’s career and represented the director’s growth as an artistic filmmaker. The Master of Suspense delivers a traditional spy thriller with his signature style of suspense but also features a serious love story that adds a sense of maturity to his craft. Notorious earned two Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Rains and Best Original Screenplay, cementing the film as one of Hitchcock’s most crucial classics.
5
‘Blackmail’ (1929)
Starring John Longden, Anny Ondra, and Donald Calthrop
The British thriller, Blackmail, follows a young woman, Alice White (Anny Ondra) who, after a fight with her boyfriend, Scotland Yard officer Frank Webber (John Longden), decides to leave with another man and agrees to go back to his home with him. When they arrive, the man tries to force himself on Alice and, in a moment of panic and fear, she ends up killing him. Even though Alice manages to escape the attack, she soon learns that a thief (Donald Calthrop) witnessed the murder and decides to blackmail her.
Blackmail was originally released as a silent film, but British International Pictures decided to release a sound version, making it the first official British “all-talkie” feature. The film was a major hit and not only served as a landmark achievement in British cinema, but was also a major milestone in Hitchcock’s career. Blackmail is essentially Hitchcock 101 and features the director’s frequent themes of murder and scandal as well as eccentrically designed characters, notably Calthrop’s character, who conceals his true nefarious colors with his politeness and gentle demeanor, which is seen in many of Hitchcock’s villains.
4
‘Vertigo’ (1958)
Starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes
Initially a critical and commercial disappointment, Hitchcock’s Vertigo would go on to become arguably the director’s most artistically respected work. James Stewart stars a haunted man who’s tasked with keeping tabs on a beautiful blonde (Kim Novak) in San Francisco, which has never looked more cinematic.
Lovable everyman Stewart was cast against type here as a man in the throes of guilt and despair, and Vertigo is such a downer that it’s not hard to see why it was initially rejected. However, the singular filmmaking dexterity has been increasingly impossible to deny over the decades, with Sight and Sound even naming Vertigo the best movie of all time in their 2012 critics’ poll. It was beautifully restored in the ’90s, in what frankly might be the reference point for all film restorations.
3
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Starring Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, and Anthony Perkins
Janet Leigh stars in the 1960 thriller, Psycho, as a secretary, Marion Crane, who, after stealing thousands of dollars from her employer, quickly skips town. When a thunderstorm forces Marion off the road, she checks into a deserted motel, the Bates Motel, where she meets an unusual but shy caretaker, Norman (Anthony Perkins). After not hearing from Marion, her sister (Vera Miles) and her boyfriend (John Gavin) retrace her route back to the motel and soon unravel a chilling mystery that neither of them ever expected.
Hitchcock broke the traditional rules of the horror thriller with Psycho, which is universally recognized for its iconic shower scene, its jaw-dropping twist, and the unsettling character Norman Bates. Due to its controversial subject matter for its time, Psycho initially earned mixed reviews but was still a box office success that earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Actress. Psycho is deemed to be one of Hitchcock’s most famous and influential films and is celebrated as a vital touchstone in cinema history.
2
‘North by Northwest’ (1959)
Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason
Cary Grant reunites with Hitchcock in the action-packed spy thriller, North by Northwest, starring as a New York advertising executive, Roger Thornhill, who becomes the victim of a classic case of mistaken identity and is pursued by a group of men who work for an unknown government agency. As Thornhill journeys across the country to try and sort the misunderstanding out, he’s joined by a mysterious blonde (Eva Marie Saint) who is more than just a stranger he meets on a train.
North by Northwest is a vital Hitchcock movie that had a major influence on future spy thrillers, notably the James Bond films, and is recognized for its ingenious action sequences and shots. In 2009, the infamous crop-duster plane scene was ranked as the greatest moment in movie history by Empire magazine. The movie was both a critical and commercial success and received three Oscar nominations, including Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Screenplay.
1
‘The 39 Steps’ (1935)
Starring Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, and John Laurie
Hitchcock’s 1935 British spy thriller, The 39 Steps, stars Robert Donat as a Canadian, Richard Hannay, who is visiting London where he accidentally comes across an underground ring of international spies. Shortly after, he meets an agent, Annabelle Smith (Lucie Mannheim), who he believes can help him, but when she is murdered in her apartment, Richard becomes the prime suspect in the crime. As Richard tries to evade the police, he tries to clear his name and stop secrets from leaving the country with the help of an unwilling accomplice (Madeleine Carroll).
The 39 Steps is a classic proto-noir which has been praised by many, including legendary filmmaker, Orson Welles, who hailed it to be a masterpiece. Carroll’s character was also the first to establish the signature Hitchcock blonde of a beautiful but icy blonde, essentially introducing the blueprint for the classic femme fatale. The worldwide success of the film gained American cinema’s attention and led to Hitchcock signing a contract with David O. Selznick, solidifying The 39 Steps as Hitchcock’s most important film and essentially started it all for The Master of Suspense.
