Alfred Hitchcock’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

Regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s best movies and TV shows feature some of the most influential and iconic projects ever made. Born on August 13, 1899, in Essex, England, Hitchcock started out in the moviemaking industry as a title card designer. While Hitchcock has several lost movies that remain unseen, like Number 13 and The Mountain Edge, he made a name for himself as a silent movie director before successfully making the switch over to sound pictures.

Hitchcock earned the nickname the “Master of Suspense” with his iconic set pieces that put audiences on the edge of their seats. He helped to popularize the spy genre while making innovations in the horror genre with some movies that are still copied and imitated all these years later. While Hitchcock died in 1980, he remains regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, leaving behind some incredible movies to revisit.

10

The Birds (1963)

Starring Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

The Birds

PG-13

Horror

Romance

Mystery

Drama

8.7/10

Release Date

March 29, 1963

Runtime

119 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Evan Hunter

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Tippi Hedren

    Tippi Hedren

  • Headshot Of Suzanne Pleshette

    Suzanne Pleshette

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

The Birds is a movie that showcases how Alfred Hitchcock could take a slow-burn approach to his stories and still deliver something unforgettable. The film initially unfolds as a romantic comedy about a socialite pursuing a charming potential boyfriend, which leads them to a small coastal community. However, the romance ends when, without warning or explanation, the birds of the community begin attacking and killing people.

Given the premise, it is quite impressive how perilous and terrifying Hitchcock manages to make the movie. Even though the effects used at the time are dated, it still holds up as an eerie thriller. Hitchcock’s lack of a musical score adds to the unease of the movie, especially when it comes to the unsettling ending of The Birds. It is a movie that would go on to inspire the likes of Jaws for making the unknown aspects of nature so scary.

9

Dial M For Murder (1954)

Starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Dial M for Murder (1954) - Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Dial M for Murder

PG

Thriller

Crime

Release Date

May 29, 1954

Runtime

105 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Frederick Knott

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Grace Kelly

    Margot Wendice

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Ray Milland

    Tony Wendice

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Robert Cummings

    Mark Halliday

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    John Williams

    Chief Inspector Hubbard

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Dial M for Murder is a perfect example of how Alfred Hitchcock’s mastery of suspense can elevate just about any story. The movie stars Ray Milland as a tennis pro who designs an intricate plan to have his adulterous wife (played by Grace Kelly) murdered. However, the crime does not go as planned, leading to unexpected consequences for everyone involved.

Dial M for Murder was the first and only time that Hitchcock dealt with 3D filmmaking. He quickly dismissed the approach as a gimmick and expressed regret over the attempt. However, the fact that Dial M for Murder has lived on as a gripping 2D thriller is a sign of Hitchcock’s incredible talents. He takes a very basic plot and turns it into something special as the set pieces will subvert audience expectations and leave them on the edge of their seats.

8

Rope (1948)

Starring James Stewart, John Dall

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Rope (1948) - Poster - John Dal

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Rope

PG

Thriller

Crime

Drama

7/10

Release Date

August 26, 1948

Runtime

81 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Arthur Laurents, Ben Hecht, Hume Cronyn

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    James Stewart

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    John Dall

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Alfred Hitchcock proved he was a director who could make a gripping movie no matter the size of the story. While he excels at big, expansive adventures like North By Northwest, Rope is a small-scale project that is no less intense and exciting. The movie follows two cold-blooded and cunning young men who have committed what they believe is the perfect murder and attempt to showcase their certainty that they will not be caught by hosting a party and dangling the truth under the noses of their guests.

It is one of Hitchcock’s most chilling movies. However, along with the grim setup, Rope holds the audience the entire time by presenting it as if it is a one-take movie. It is another brilliant showcase of how Hitchcock is able to play with suspense as the audience is left to squirm without the escape and safety of a cut to relieve the tension.

7

Notorious (1946)

Starring Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Notorious Movie Poster

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Notorious

Not Rated

Noir

Thriller

Romance

ScreenRant logo

10/10

Release Date

August 15, 1946

Runtime

101 Minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Cary Grant

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Ingrid Bergman

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Alfred Hitchcock made one of the quintessential post-World War II spy thrillers with Notorious. Ingrid Bergman stars in the movie as the daughter of a convicted Nazi war criminal who hides her shame in her seemingly carefree lifestyle. However, she is given the opportunity for the redemption she craves as well as the chance to prove herself an American patriot when she is approached by a secret agent (Cary Grant) to infiltrate a group of Nazis hiding out in Brazil.

Like many of Hitchcock’s spy movies, the central romance is a big part of Notorious and just as effective as the high-stakes thriller aspect of the story. The movie serves as the first collaboration between Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant, but it is Bergman who owns the picture with her complex performance that is filled with fear, humor, and heroism. Hitchcock constructed some incredible sequences while pushing filmmaking innovation for the era.

6

Strangers On A Train (1951)

Starring Farley Granger, Robert Walker

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

01362003_poster_w780.jpg

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Strangers on a Train

PG

Crime

Thriller

Release Date

June 27, 1951

Runtime

101 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Patricia Highsmith, Czenzi Ormonde, Raymond Chandler

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Farley Granger

    Guy Haines

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Ruth Roman

    Anne Morton

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Robert Walker

    Bruno Antony

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Leo G. Carroll

    Sen. Morton

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Of all the murder plots in Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, Strangers on a Train presents the most intriguing one. The movie follows two men who meet while traveling on a train and get to talking about their respective lives and some people they would want to be rid of. The innocent discussion leads to an ideal plan where the two men swap victims and murder each other’s targets, thus clearing the other as an obvious suspect. Unfortunately, one of the strangers is more serious about really going through with it.

The movie is a fascinating and thrilling exploration of the thin line between good and evil while also giving this master filmmaker the opportunity to stage some truly impressive sequences. While the “good guy” role is performed well by Farley Granger, Robert Walker delivers one of the best villains in the Hitchcock movie as a cold killer who sees nothing evil in what he does.

5

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1962)

An Anthology Series

TV Show

My Favorite TV Shows
My Watchlist

Success!

035573_poster_w780.jpg

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

TV-PG

Mystery

Drama

Crime

Release Date

1955 – 1961

Network

NBC, CBS

Directors

Robert Stevens, Paul Henreid, Herschel Daugherty, Arthur Hiller, Jus Addiss, John Brahm, Robert Stevenson, Don Taylor, Stuart Rosenberg, Don Weis, Robert Florey, John Newland, Bernard Girard, Jules Munshin, James Neilson, Boris Sagal, John Meredyth Lucas, Tristram Powell, Ida Lupino, Tim Kirby, Leonard Horn, Don Medford, Paul Almond, Bretaigne Windust

Writers

James P. Cavanagh, Henry Slesar, Robert C. Dennis, Francis M. Cockrell, Bernard C. Schoenfeld, Stirling Silliphant, Robert Bloch, Marian B. Cockrell, Bill S. Ballinger, Ray Bradbury, Jerry Sohl, Kathleen Hite, John Collier, Richard Levinson, Frank Gabrielson, William Link, Burt Styler, Calvin Clements Sr., Meade Roberts, Nicholas Monsarrat, Stanley Ellin, Gordon Russell, Charles Beaumont, George F. Slavin

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Harry ‘Snub’ Pollard

    Bar Patron (uncredited)

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Al Hodge

    Mr. Turney

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Al Jolson

    Jakie Rabinowitz (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Alan Marshal

    William Pryor

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

While Alfred Hitchcock’s movies are among the most iconic ever made, the master filmmaker also delivered one of the best television shows of the 1950s. Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an anthology series that uses the filmmaker’s unique talent for suspense and thriller storytelling to craft new stories in each episode that take the audience on nail-biting and riveting adventures, with Hitchcock himself directing nearly 20 episodes of the show’s run of over 300 episodes.

Hitchcock also served as the iconic host of the series, but his influence was all over the show. It was a chance for the filmmaker to try his hand at some short-form versions of his mysteries and thrillers. There were also episodes that saw him delving into new territory, like time travel and the supernatural. The show also featured some incredible guest stars over the years, some before they were stars, including Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, and Steve McQueen.

4

North By Northwest (1959)

Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

North By Northwest

pg-13

Adventure

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

Release Date

September 8, 1959

Runtime

136 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Ernest Lehman

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Eva Marie Saint In The 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival

    Eva Marie Saint

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    James Mason

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

When it comes to Alfred Hitchcock’s spy thriller movies, North by Northwest stands out as the best of the bunch. Cary Grant stars in the movie as Roger Thornhill, an advertising executive who is mistaken for a government agent and targeted by some dangerous enemies. On the run and in the middle of a vast conspiracy, Thornhill is forced to change from the everyman to a hero to survive.

The movie presents the kind of grand level of filmmaking that modern blockbusters strive to be. It is a gripping thriller with high stakes, but there is also a lot of humor, a compelling romance, and some riveting action sequences. It is perhaps Hitchcock’s biggest movie of his career and a clear sign that he was more than up for the challenge of its scale.

3

Rear Window (1954)

Starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Rear Window

PG

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

7.9/10

Release Date

September 1, 1954

Runtime

112 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

John Michael Hayes, Cornell Woolrich

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Thelma Ritter

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    James Stewart

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

One of the main themes discussed in Alfred Hitchcock’s movies is voyeurism. The famed filmmaker seems to lean right into that reputation in Rear Window. The movie stars James Stewart as an adventure-seeking photographer who is forced to stay in his apartment with a broken leg. With only a pair of binoculars to entertain him, he begins looking in on his neighbors’ lives, only to come to believe he has witnessed a murder.

Hitchcock makes brilliant use of the simple premise, keeping the audience riveted as they share in Stewart’s spying game. Just the set created to showcase the neighborhood in Stewart’s backyard is a cinematic achievement. The movie builds the perfect thriller with tension and twists along the way. It is also elevated by the performances of Stewart and Grace Kelly, making it more layered than just a simple murder mystery.

2

Vertigo (1958)

Starring James Stewart, Kim Novak

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Vertigo

PG

Romance

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

8.8/10

Release Date

May 9, 1958

Runtime

128 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Alec Coppel, Samuel A. Taylor

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Tom Helmore

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Barbara Bel Geddes

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Though it was initially a box office bomb that ended Alfred Hitchcock’s collaborative partnership with James Stewart, Vertigo has since become praised as a masterpiece. Stewart stars in the movie as Scottie, a police officer who has had to retire due to his vertigo but takes on a private investigator job when he is hired to follow his friend’s wife (Kim Novak). Unexpectedly, Scottie is pulled into a conspiracy of obsession and deception with twists around every corner.

Though Hitchcock’s visual style is all over every one of his movies, Vertigo may be the most technically impressive movie of his career. Along with the inventive and innovative filmmaking techniques, it is also a more complex story than Hitchcock usually deals with. The result is a compelling noir gem that allows the audience to debate the true meaning behind its themes decades after it was released.

1

Psycho (1960)

Starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Success!

Your Rating

close

10 stars

9 stars

8 stars

7 stars

6 stars

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Rate Now

0/10

Leave a Review

Your comment has not been saved

Psycho

R

Horror

Mystery

Thriller

ScreenRant logo

10/10

12

9/10

Release Date

September 8, 1960

Runtime

109 minutes

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers

Joseph Stefano, Robert Bloch

Sequel(s)

Psycho 2

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Janet Leigh

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Martin Balsam

Franchise(s)

Psychonauts

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Alfred Hitchcock managed to employ his skills of suspense to produce what many consider the greatest horror movie ever made. Janet Leigh stars in Psycho as a young woman who steals money from her boss and goes on the run. However, she makes the fateful mistake of stopping for the night at the Bates Motel, where she meets the awkward proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), and learns about his overbearing mother.

Psycho was a shockingly subversive movie at the time, famously not allowing theaters to accept moviegoers once the movie started over fear of losing the impact of the early twist. Alfred Hitchcock fits into the horror genre effortlessly, creating a sense of dread that lingers throughout the entire movie and delivering some shocking moments that have become etched in the history of Hollywood cinema.

Leave a Comment