# What's your favorite Hitchcock film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480 "2003-01-14T06:07:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/21 "2003-01-14T16:32:25Z")
So far my favorite is **Rope** but I will definately have to see Vertigo after so many people listing it as their favorite. I’ve actually rented it at least twice before and neither time got around to watching it. North By Northwest did absolutely nothing for me. It wasn’t a _bad_ movie but I was dissapointed that so many people listed it as the best. ---
**Author:** ![Skijumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/22 "2003-01-14T16:56:37Z")
**Rope** - mostly for John Dall. Followed closely by **Rear Window** and **The Birds** - that playground scene…_shudder_. Till today, I will NEVER sit with my back to a playground. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/23 "2003-01-14T17:31:28Z")
I saw _The Birds_ in the sixth grade, shown to us by our peculiarly loveable-and-terrifying teacher. I think he realized belatedly that it was inappropriate for an elementary school teacher to show it to his class, so I only saw the first half of it. I’ve seen _Notorious, Topaz_, and _Vertigo_, none of which did too much for me. I watched _North by Northwest_ with **Burundi** right after she had her wisdom-teeth removed, and was therefore a wee bit distracted. She, of course, is still unsure what was movie and what was hallucination. My favorite Hitchcock, though, is _Dial M for Murder_. It has more than enough plot in it for three movies, yet it ties everything together so skillfully that it works. It’s like watching a brilliant chess game. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/24 "2003-01-14T17:42:12Z")
“Hitchcock is suppose to have a cameo in all of his movies” I forget the exact figure, but Hitch only had walk-ons in around 75% of his movies. And he always got them in early, at least after his move to the USA, because he didn’t want people to spend the whole movie looking out for him. “Blackmail” is another favourite and one of his great milestones. It was the first British talkie. ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/25 "2003-01-14T17:43:16Z")
My personal faves would have to be **Shadow of a Doubt** (Hume Cronyn is effing hilarious in this) and **Strangers on a Train**. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/26 "2003-01-14T17:53:44Z")
Here’s a listing of Hitchcock’s cameos: [http://users.netreach.net/treyl/hitchcock/cameos.htm](http://users.netreach.net/treyl/hitchcock/cameos.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/27 "2003-01-14T17:56:57Z")
favorites: Rear Window and North by Northwest Also rans: Trouble with Harry and Rebecca Dislikes: Vertigo ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/28 "2003-01-14T18:25:12Z")
The 39 Steps and The Lodger are also near the top for me. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/29 "2003-01-14T19:09:51Z")
Favorites: Rear Window, Notorious, and Shadow of a Doubt Most fun: The “on the run” movies–39 steps, Sabotage, Foreign Correspondent, North by Northwest, etc. Most overrated: Vertigo. Not that it’s not a great movie. However, there are at least six other Hitchcocks that are better. There’s waaay too much driving around SF set to ominous music at the start, and ending the movie on the climax (instead of having a proper conclusion) was just a bad idea. (Frankly, I think Hitchcock did it that way because he simply couldn’t figure out what Scotty would do next.) Worst: Topaz. Painful to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/30 "2003-01-14T19:29:14Z")
_Vertigo_, narrowly beating out _Psycho_. Both subtle, multi-layered studies cunningly disguised as pulp crap. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/31 "2003-01-14T19:45:11Z")
My least favorite is The Man Who Knew Too Much, only because of Doris Day. I see her and I think of “Please Don’t Eat The Daisies,” not international intrigue. ---
**Author:** ![Shana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Shana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shana)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/32 "2003-01-14T20:20:13Z")
Ahh, how could I forget _Rebecca_ ?? That certainly comes in as a close second to _The Birds_ for me … I have to agree with **plnnr** about _The Man Who Knew Too Much_. I don’t think Doris Day was the best choice for that movie, but then, I guess he was running out of blondes…lol. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/33 "2003-01-14T20:33:31Z")
**Vertigo** Honorable Mentions: _Strangers on a Train, North by Northwest, Rear Window, Notorious, Psycho_ (which is not to say that there aren’t many more that are excellent) ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/34 "2003-01-14T21:09:33Z")
I’m gonna have to pile on and say \*\* Rear Window \*\* was his best. Grace Kelly–goddamn! She may have been the most beautiful movie actress ever, and she’s just great in that movie. She wasn’t just a pretty face, she was a talented actress, too. I think that’s why I like Nichole Kidman so much–because she’s beautiful in that Kelly sort of way AND she’s got the chops to back it up. But there are so many more that I love. \*\* Strangers on a Train , Rope, Sabotage, Notorious, North by Northwest, \*\* and the 1934 version of \*\* The Man Who Knew Too Much \*\*, which is far superior to the remake. (although I thought it was infinitely cool when I saw the 1956 version and found out that the sickly sweet “Que Sera Sera” was used ironically!) I used to love \*\* Vertigo \*\* above all others, but recently I’ve soured on it. I don’t know if it’s because I’m burned out on it or if I’ve seen it so much that I can see the rivets holding it together or what, but I tried to watch it the other day and it just fell flat. Maybe it’s those Groucho Marx moustaches that Kim Novak is using for eyebrows. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/35 "2003-01-14T21:20:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wumpus \* > **Most overrated: Vertigo. Not that it’s not a great movie. > … > and ending the movie on the climax (instead of having a proper conclusion) was just a bad idea. (Frankly, I think Hitchcock did it that way because he simply couldn’t figure out what Scotty would do next.)** The DVD release has an “alternate ending” where Scotty goes back to Midge’s apartment and they hear a report on the radio about Gavin’s death. Still not much of an ending though. Mine: A tossup between _The Birds_ or _Dial M for Murder_, depending on how I feel at the time. _North by Northwest_ comes in very close behind both. ---
**Author:** ![bobblehead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@bobblehead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobblehead)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/36 "2003-01-14T21:51:57Z")
The Birds and Psycho are my faves! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/37 "2003-01-14T21:59:19Z")
Rebecca. Amazing photography. ---
**Author:** ![lout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@lout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lout)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/38 "2003-01-14T22:03:12Z")
It’s hard to pick just one, so I won’t: Rear Window Vertigo Strangers on a Train (read the book!!!) North by Northwest The Birds ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/39 "2003-01-14T23:55:22Z")
No one likes **Suspicion**? I just caught that last night on my TiVo and was somewhat enchanted by it. (There are a few good belly laughs tossed in amid the suspense.) It does sorta crap out with a “convenient” ending though. I couldn’t possibly pick one favorite, but I will say I was surprised to find **Notorious** so boring when I finally saw it. **To Catch a Thief** also has it’s moments (I love when Cary Grant drops the gambling marker into the woman’s cleavage!) but for the most part it’s really really cheesy. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480/40 "2003-01-15T00:18:48Z")
**Favourites:** _North by Northwest_, _Vertigo_, _Rear Window_. I couldn’t possibly choose between them. However, one of my most enduring movie memories is of one time around 6 years ago when I was recovering from surgery. I was laid up on my couch doped up on Demerol trying to watch movies but I kept zoning in and out of unconsciousness. One time, I came to at precisely the same moment as Jimmy Stewart wakes up in _Rear Window_ and, for a brief, wondrous moment, that luminous, slow-motion close-up of Grace Kelly was kissing _me_ awake. Alas, that glorious vision soon faded as reality reared its ugly head. Boy, did I have to take a leak. **Close Runners-Up:** _Notorious_, _Strangers on a Train_, _The 39 Steps_, _Psycho_, _Rope_. **Most Under-rated:** _Torn Curtain_. I don’t know why this movie is never mentioned when Hitchcock movies are discussed. It’s definitely not his best work but it still has many strengths. The lack of soundtrack was an innovative idea and made certain scenes all the more intense (yes, I know a soundtrack was written and recorded for the movie but never used). **Most Over-rated:** _The Birds_ Not that I think it’s bad, per se, but it just didn’t give me the creeps for which Hitchcock was so obviously striving. Of course, I had the great misfortune of reading excerpts from Camille Paglia’s book on the movie so I may have been unduly influenced. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-hitchcock-film/148480.md?page=3)