I love Alfred Hitchcock and I love lists, so I’m celebrating the birthday of the Master of Suspense with this list of my 11 favorite Hitchcock films. Go see ‘em!
1. “Shadow of a Doubt” — Also Hitchcock’s favorite, it was written by Thornton Wilder (“Our Town”). It’s tense, funny and surprisingly sweet.
2. “Rear Window” — For my money, it’s his most nailbitey film.
3. “Psycho” — … and this one’s his scariest.
4. “Vertigo” — Jimmy Stewart’s best performance. (Kim Novak’s, too.)
5. “Strangers on a Train” — In which Hitchcock’s daughter gives one of the funniest performances by an actress in a Hitchcock movie.
6. “The 39 Steps” — Imitated by way more than 39 other movies.
7. “To Catch a Thief” — Mostly because I love the interaction between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly (and because I love Grant’s line about being a simple woodcutter).
8. “Foreign Correspondent” — I love me some Joel McCrea, and the airplane crash scene was way ahead of its time.
9. “Notorious” — Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant are probably the hottest romantic couple in any Hitchcock film.
10. “Frenzy” — Near the end of his career, but he still had it.
11. “Marnie” — New Ulm native Tippi Hedren is a bit of a problem, but it might be his best-looking movie.