Mine’s Rope. It’s got to be the most watched video in my collection. I’ll say why shortly, but I’d like to hear from other Hitchcock fans on the SDMB.
Hmmm . . . toughie; GOOD director. Can’t pick one . . .
For plotting and script, I’d go with The Lady Vanishes, Suspicion, Saboteur . . . For sheer blinding style, Stage Fright, Rear Window, The Birds. Psycho for chills, and Lifeboat for Tallulah . . . Tough call!
The best was definitely “Rear Window.”
The worst, without a doubt, was the Jimmy Stewart/Doris Day version of “The Man WHo Knew Too Much.”
Mine’s Notorious. The movie gets under your skin in so many subtle little ways. There’s virtually no violence on screen at all, and yet it consistently chills you. Claude Rains has to be my favorite Hitch villain ever. And the climax has to be the best in any Hitch movie I’ve seen.
My favorites, ranked from top to bottom.
- Notorious
- Strangers on a Train
- Rear Window
- Rebecca
- Vertigo
- North by Northwest
- The Thirty-Nine Steps
- Shadow of a Doubt
- Rope
- Dial M for Murder
- Topaz
I’ve always been partial to his American remake of “Saboteur”. The episode in the desert when the hero is attempting to break his handcuffs on the generator pulley of the girl’s car while Hitch intercuts to another approaching vehicle is quite suspenseful. The statue of liberty scene at the end is great as well.
I’d have to say its a flat out three way tie between Vertigo, Rear Window, and Psycho with Strangers on a Train close behind.
My list:
- North by Northwest
- Rear Window
- The 39 Steps
- Psycho
- Strangers on a Train
- Saboteur
- The Lady Vanishes
- Notorious
- Shadow of a Doubt
- Family Plot
For me, a tie between North by Northwest, Psycho and The Thirty-Nine Steps. I can’t think of any I really don’t like, though (even Marnie), so it’s hard to nail them down. But definitely those three. Plus Vertigo. And The Lady Vanishes.
Hmmm… tough choice. My top ten:
- Dial ‘M’ for Murder
- Rear Window
- Lifeboat
- Spellbound
- Psycho
- Rope
- Strangers on a Train
- Rebecca
- Marnie
- Vertigo
Jeez, it was hard to narrow it down to even those ten. There’s also North by Northwest, The Birds, Notorious, Suspicion, Foreign Correspondent, Saboteur,…
Never actually seen a bad one (and yes, I even liked the remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much).
If you’ve yet to see a bad one yet, venture into the old, old ones. Like The Farmer’s Wife. Or The Pleasure Garden. Juno and the Paycock. The Skin Game.
He didn’t make many good ones until the first “Man Who Knew Too Much.” And there were some stinkers in the middle too.
Who remembers “Under Capricorn”? Same camera tricks as “Rope” but in this weird Austrailian period piece thing with Joseph Cotton and Ingrid Bergman.
That said, Hitchcock is my favoritie film maker, and with 50+ films to his name, he’s entitled to some stinkers.
My personal faves are Vertigo, Shadow of a Doubt, 39 Steps, Notorious and Dial M for Murder. Though the list shifts a lot.
On the other hand, one of his earliest films, “The Lodger,” is terrific! Should’ve put it on my list.
Much agreed! I had a chance in London to see this as it was originally shown, with a pianist playing along adding mood music. Lot more impact that way. I recommend you all hire pianists next time you rent this one.
It’s on my to-do list! 
I had a wonderful experience a couple years ago – I’d never seen North By Northwest! Imagine reaching the age of 35 and missing this gem. Well I was fully aware of how lucky I was, really – how many times have you wished you could have that experience of seeing something you love for the first time, all over again? Though I was a little apprehensive, knowing it was a good film might raise my expectation too high, it turns out that wasn’t a worry. I forgot my own existence completely.
So, it’s my favorite. Close seconds are Rear Window (mainly for Grace Kelly’s outfits!) and Dial M for Murder for the suspense. I literally chew my nails watching it.
Vertigo
Notorious
Strangers on a Train
Psycho
North by Northwest
Shadow of a Doubt
The 39 Steps
Rear Window
The Birds
Frenzy
I’d have to say that North By Northwest is my favorite, at least out of the Hitchcock films I’ve seen so far. I didn’t really care for Rear Window, though I am a James Stewart fan. I think the movie had been hyped too much for me, I expected it to be better than the book, so that probably had a lot to do with it (I know most movies aren’t, but it’s Hitchcock). I also thought Vertigo “cheated” a little bit, in the Agatha Christie sense, regarding the ending.
That said, I can’t say Vertigo or Rear Window are not worth watching. I like the trivia involved, even if the story is not to my taste, i.e. finding Hitchcock’s cameo appearance(s), etc. I think it was a movie review on AMC about North By Northwest that I heard this bit of trivia from… Hitchcock knew that Grant was terrified of spiders, so in the Crop Duster scene, he took a tarantula, showed it to Grant and then planted it in the cornfield wanting that look of terror on Grant’s face to be credible. One that my brother pointed out to me (still North By Northwest); in the scene where Eve Marie-Saint shoots Cary Grant with the gun (blanks), there is a little boy in the background who plugs his ears too early, displaying foreknowledge of the gunshot.
I haven’t seen Rebecca yet, though it’s my understanding it is the only film Hitchcock won an award for. Seems amazing if that’s true. I’ve read the book a few times (Daphne du Maurier fan as well), so I really need to rent this movie.
I believe Rebecca is the only Hitchcock film to win Best Picture. He never got a Best Director statue.
Though I’m pretty sure he got a Thalburg-type award from AMPAS, some life-time acheivement award.
I’m reasonably sure he won more awards internationally, but have nothing to cite on that front.
Hitchcock never won an Oscar.
“Rebecca” did win best picture, but John Ford won Best Director for “The Grapes of Wrath”.
Hitch did get an Irving Thalberg Award.
I’m a “Rear Window” man myself with “Psycho” a close second.
It’s a nice mantra sometimes when the bad guys seem to be winning:
“Hitchcock never won an Oscar
Garbo never won an Oscar
Chaplin never won an Oscar”
ie recognition doesnt always go to the deserving.
Favourite Hitch for me Psycho
Because it is structurally brilliant, acheives its aims so neatly and economically, and by its subject matter and style breaks so many movie conventions in order to do so. It was a film that connected extremely deeply with its original audience.
Then? Rear Window - such a great “gimmick” and yes, Grace’s clothes are worth the trip too.
Vertigo for the photography and music as much as anything. Certainly not for poor Kim, out of her depth, but giving it a damn good try.
Hate Topaz, Family Plot, Frenzy and can only speculate while watching what was going on behind the scenes.
Redboss
Rear Window
Suspicion
North By Northwest
The Rope
Psycho
Fenris
“Rear Window” is undoutably a perfect movie, but “Rope” is my guilty pleasure. I really don’t think it’s all that good - James Stewart is seriously micast, for one thing. But there’s an unabashed nastiness to the whole thing that I can really get into. And John Dall, although he’s overacting like crazy, is SO much fun to watch.