Last weekend I watched The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). This led me down a rabbit trail of what would my top five favorite films by the Master of Suspense aka Alfred Hitchcock be. His career spanned over thirty years and he directed fifty-three feature films.
Here's my top five Alfred Hitchcock Films:
5.) The Trouble with Harry (1955)
In The Trouble with Harry, a man's corpse appears on a hillside and several of the town's residents think they are responsible for his death. This film shows a different side of Hitchcock. A more tongue-in-cheek, humorous side. It marks Shirley MacLaine's debut. If John Forsythe's voice sounds familiar, he was the voice of Charlie Townsend in Charlie's Angels. Composer Bernard Herrmann scored this film along with six other Hitchcock films: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), The Wrong Man (1956), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960) and Marnie (1964).
4.) Saboteur (1942)
Robert Cummings character is wrongfully accused of setting fire at an airplane plant as an act of sabotage. As he travels across the country to find the saboteur he takes Priscilla Lane hostage. While an initially unwilling captor, Lane eventually becomes a helpful accomplice. Saboteur is one of those great black and white spy thrillers with the perfect blend of mystery and romance. And how could film buffs forget the iconic scene with actor Norman Lloyd? (You have to watch the film because I don't want to give away the scene.) He (Lloyd) passed away four years ago at the age of 106!
3.) North by Northwest (1959)
It's no surprise a Hitchcock film starring Cary Grant would end up on my list. Grant made three other films with the famed director: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946) and To Catch a Thief (1956). North by Northwest features some of Hitchcock's most legendary scenes as the audience follows Grant's character's cross-country unraveling the mystery and attempting to clear his name.
2.) Rear Window (1954)
Rear Window made my top five Jimmy Stewart films and lands the number two spot on this list. Stewart plays a wheelchair bound photojournalist after he broke his leg who thinks one of his neighbors has committed a murder. This includes a fantastic ensemble cast of Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, and Raymond Burr.
1.) Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
I liked this film so much I did a structural analysis paper on it in college. (I got an A on the paper.) Shadow of a Doubt follows Charlotte "Charlie" Newton whose excitement at her mother's brother Uncle Charlie whom she is named after soon turns to fear when she suspects her beloved uncle is not all he seems to be.
Shadow of a Doubt is also Hitchcock's favorite of all his films.
The camera work in this film is exceptional. I think I liked how Charlie's family (parents and siblings) represent a slice of small-town Americana. The acting by the entire cast is stellar and the screenplay keeps you guessing.
Did any of my top five films make you list? Any films you think I should have included?
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