Director’s Corner: Alfred Hitchcock
A Baker’s Dozen from Hitchcock: Ranked
“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”
~Alfred Hitchcock
Hello and welcome to Cinema Wellman! I am your host David, and today we kick off a new segment that we’re calling “Director’s Corner.”
Each “Director’s Corner” episode will feature a different director along with what we consider to be some of their best films. Some will be Top 10/Bottom 5, some will consist of a handful of favorites, while others will attempt to rank a director’s entire filmography. Each director is different, so each episode of “Director’s Corner” will be unique as well.
Already scheduled to sit in the director’s chair in Cinema Wellman’s Director’s Corner are Wes Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, and Joel & Ethan Coen.
It will surprise absolutely no one that I keep a list of directors and the number of films of theirs that I have seen. A director makes the list when I’ve seen five of their films. That list currently features 408 directors.
The statistical number one on the list is Michael Curtiz, the great director of Casablanca. To date I have seen 44 of his films. Curtiz may be number one on that list, but he will not be the focus of this premier “Director’s Corner” episode.
Instead, I decided to kick things off with a person who I consider my favorite director (when push comes to shove and I’m forced to give an answer), and that would be Sir Alfred Hitchcock.
According to my friends at the IMDb, Hitchcock has 69 directing credits. When you subtract unfinished films, films where he went uncredited, shorts, or television episodes, that number is 55.
As of today, I have seen 38 films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. That puts him second on the big list to Curtiz, but Hitch will be in the director’s chair for our first Director’s Corner.
Since I’ve seen so many Hitchcock films, I started to make a list of his trademarks. I wanted to have a working list of things to look for in his films.
When I was teaching Edgar Allan Poe, I had a list of “Poe Characteristics” that I had students look for when we were reading his stories. That list included items such as bloodshed, downward movement, gloom, and mystery. I decided to put together such a list for the films of Alfred Hitchcock.
I was halfway through my list and went to IMDb during my research (as always). Much to my surprise and amusement, IMDb had done the same thing! It’s a short film that highlights Director’s Trademarks and has accompanying video clips. Brilliant! I was very pleased to see that every item I thought of was also on IMDb’s list!
Here’s what we came up with:
*Murder plot
*Blonde victim “Blondes make the best victims. They’re like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints.” ~Alfred Hitchcock
*Character on the run
*Character falsely accused
*Foreboding shadows
*Ominous staircases
*Doppelgangers
*Suave villains
*Voyeuristic perspective
*Ticking clocks
*Conversations on trains
*Newspaper headlines
*Handwritten notes
*Famous landmarks
*Deep focus composition
*Gripping climaxes
*Costumes by Edith Head
*Music by Bernard Hermann
*Hitchcock cameo
*A MacGuffin
For those of you that need a refresher, a MacGuffin/McGuffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. (Thank you Wikipedia)
The MacGuffin seems like it’s the most important part of the film, but, many times, the film ends without any questions being answered MacGuffin-wise. Think Marcellus Wallace’s briefcase in Pulp Fiction, Charles Foster Kane’s final word “Rosebud” in Citizen Kane, the Dude’s Persian rug in The Big Lebowski, or…the Maltese falcon in…The Maltese Falcon.
Alfred Hitchcock is forever connected with the MacGuffin because of his use of them in his films. In an interview, Hitch once referred to a MacGuffin as “Nothing at all.” In a way, he’s quite correct!
For this premiere episode of “Director’s Corner,” I have chosen my Top 13 (Hitch would approve of the #) films directed by Alfred Hitchcock and I’ve ranked them in order of my preference. Please note that they’re ALL worthy of a viewing! If you’ve previously seen some, trust me, they’re DEFINITELY worth another look!
Since this is not a “Spoiler Alert!” episode, don’t worry about me giving anything away that an IMDb search wouldn’t.
As a matter of fact, I’ll begin each film with IMDb’s synopsis since they do it better than I can. And I’ll save you an Interwebs search!
We’ll begin by going back to 1938 and what many would call an “early Hitchcock” film.
#13: The Lady Vanishes (1938)
NR/96 m/IMDb: 7.7/Hitchscore 10
IMDb: “While traveling in continental Europe, a rich young woman realizes that an elderly lady seems to have disappeared from the train.”
While not as well-known as many of the titles appearing on this list, The Lady Vanishes certainly shows the skills behind the camera that Hitchcock had been honing since the mid 20s.
The Lady Vanishes is the earliest film to make this cut, and I placed it here to represent much of his early work that is sometimes overlooked. Movies like Blackmail, Sabotage, and The 39 Steps are certainly worth a look, as is this little thriller set on a train.
It’s hard to disappear from a moving train. Or is it?
This is much lighter than typical Hitchcock fare, and actually features a laugh or two. He had a truly wicked sense of humor, that’s for sure.
Next up is a claustrophobic thriller set on the high seas…
#12: Lifeboat (1944)
NR/97 m/IMDb: 7.6/Hitchscore 2
3 Oscar Nominations: Director (Hitchcock), Writing, Cinematography (b&w)
IMDb: “Several survivors of a torpedoed merchant ship in World War II find themselves in the same lifeboat with one of the crew members of the U-boat that sank their ship.”
Hitchcock once said, “To make a great film you need three things - the script, the script, and the script.” So, it’s no surprise that he constantly worked with great writers to help create the stories he then brought to life on screen. Hitchcock’s films included stories/screenplays written by Daphne du Maurier, Thornton Wilder, Raymond Chandler, and, for Lifeboat, John Steinbeck. Those are some heavy literary hitters right there.
I’ve always touted the importance of writing when it comes to movies and television shows. You can have the most talented actors and directors in the world, but you just can’t rescue a shitty script.
Lifeboat is not only a wartime tale of survival. It takes on an added dimension when one of the people taken aboard the lifeboat is a German soldier from the U-boat that sank the ship. Suddenly WWII is being fought on a very small scale in a very small lifeboat. Who can be trusted?
One of my favorite things about a Hitchcock movie is his cameo appearances. It’s always been extra fun to try to spot Hitch in his films. Since this film takes place entirely at sea in a lifeboat and Hitchcock isn’t one of the passengers, his cameo streak would come to an end. Or would it?!? Hitch DOES make a cameo appearance in Lifeboat, and it’s in a newspaper advertisement, a before/after weight loss spot.
Hitch needed to get especially creative to get into that Lifeboat!
#11: Rebecca (1940)
AP/130 m/IMDb: 8.1/Hitchscore 10
11 Oscar Nominations: Director (Hitchcock), Original Score, Special Effects, Art Direction (b&w), Writing, Supporting Actress (Anderson), Actress (Fontaine), Actor (Olivier), Film Editing
Won 2 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Cinematography (b&w)
IMDb: “A self-conscious woman juggles adjusting to her new role as an aristocrat’s wife and avoiding being intimidated by his first wife’s spectral presence.”
This is the ONLY film directed by Alfred Hitchcock to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. Unfortunately, it's his 11th best movie.
Rebecca earned a total of 11 Oscar nominations, and they were deserved, especially the acting nominations.
One of Hitchcock’s trademarks is employing suave villains. You can’t get much suaver than Sir Laurence Olivier. Joan Fontaine turns in the performance of her career as the new wife who is totally intimidated by the old wife.
This is part mystery, part ghost story, and ALL Hitchcock.
#10: Notorious (1946)
NR/102 m/IMDb: 7.9/Hitchscore 12
2 Oscar Nominations: Supporting Actor (Rains), Original Screenplay
IMDb: “The daughter of a convicted Nazi spy is asked by American agents to gather information on a ring of Nazi scientists in South America. How far will she have to go to ingratiate herself with them?”
Along with working with great writers, Hitchcock also worked with wonderful actors, many of whom he worked with several times. Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart both made four films for Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly each starred in three.
Hitchcock once said that he loved working with big names in starring roles, so he didn’t have to bother with character development. The audience felt like they knew the lead performers already, even though it was in a new role.
Notorious stars Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant, who are both excellent, but the only acting Oscar nomination for this film went to the great character actor, Claude Rains. He is fantastic, as usual.
It’s always interesting watching films that were made in the mid to late 40s to see how they handle the politics of World War II. Notorious is heavy on Nazis and uranium and atomic bomb plans.
An excellent espionage thriller with a terrific cast!
#9: The Birds (1963)
UR/119 m/IMDb: 7.6/Hitchscore 9
1 Oscar Nomination: Special Visual Effects
IMDb: “A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.”
Birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people?! Why!?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the McGuffin.
The reason for the bird attack is never revealed. It’s never really even discussed. Because it doesn’t really matter.
I’m a reluctant fan of some birds but can totally understand why some people are terrified of them. They can be scary. Really scary. Especially when they flock together, as birds of a feather tend to do.
The Birds was part of S2:E14 - “Where’s the Music? Scoreless Movies,” and the decision to go with all-natural sound for this was absolute brilliance! Bernard Hermann was brought in as a sound consultant since there was no score. I guess Hermann knew music AND bird noises.
Tippi Hendren stars as the main course for the birds and there are many stories about how she was terrorized on the set by both the birds and Hitchcock. At one point, she had several LIVE birds wired to her! I’m guessing the birds weren’t happy about that.
Hendren’s daughter, Melanie Griffith, was given a doll of her mother’s character by Hitchcock himself.
The doll was in a casket. How droll.
When rewatching The Birds the day after rescreening Psycho, something hit me that I never thought of before. When the birds are attacking Tippi Hendren, parts of the sequence are eerily reminiscent of the shower sequence in Psycho.
A difference would be that the birds are shown pecking at Hendren, while the knife is never shown touching Janet Leigh in the shower.
#8: Vertigo (1958)
AP/128 m/IMDb: 8.3/Hitchscore 12
2 Oscar Nominations: Art Direction-Set Decoration (b&w or c), Sound
IMDb: “A former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.”
Previously mentioned in our City Spotlight: San Francisco episode, Vertigo is considered by many to be Hitchcock’s greatest film. I am not one of those many, but Vertigo is still tremendous.
This is the only film on this list to feature both Edith Head’s costumes and Bernard Hermann’s music. Both are among the greatest of all time in their respective fields. Hitchcock also worked with other great costumers like Irene, Adrian, and Vera West. The same is true for composers since both Franz Waxman and Dimitri Tiomkin scored Hitchcock’s movies as well. They are considered among the top movie composers of all time.
Hitchcock always surrounded himself with greatness, and it shows in the final product.
#7: North By Northwest (1959)
AP/136 m/IMDb: 8.3/Hitchscore 11
3 Oscar Nominations: Story and Screenplay, Art Direction-Set Decoration (c), Film Editing
IMDb: “A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.”
North By Northwest features two of the most iconic movie images in film history, both featuring Cary Grant.
There’s the struggle atop Mt. Rushmore, and Grant being menaced by a crop-dusting biplane in a field.
This is one of Hitchcock’s best “wrongly accused” movies as Grant calls for a waiter at the same time someone else is being paged. That someone else is an agent heavily involved in the spy game, and now the bad guys think that spy is Grant.
This mistaken identity is, of course, terrifying, and it’s one of the reasons it’s a recurring theme in Hitchcock’s movies.
This is a great cat and mouse thriller that’s worth another look.
#6: Psycho (1960)
UR/109 m/IMDb: 8.3/Hitchscore 13
4 Oscar Nominations: Director (Hitchcock), Supporting Actress (Leigh), Cinematography (b&w), Art Direction-Set Decoration (b&w)
IMDb: “A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer’s client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.”
When a film changes how people go about their daily life, you know it’s made an impact. After the shower scene in Psycho, people reportedly stopped showering and switched to taking baths for a while.
I don’t blame them.
This scene is still chilling after 63 years! It’s such an iconic piece of film history that an entire documentary was made about it. That is a tremendous movie and a must for any Hitchcock fan. It’s titled 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene, and it would make a great twin bill with Psycho. I know, because I did it!
Janet Leigh (Jamie Lee Curtis’ mom!) is on the lam and checks into the wrong motel. The rest is cinematic history, and a MUST see if you haven’t already done so.
I just kind of assume that everyone has seen it.
#5: Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
P/108 m/IMDb: 7.8/Hitchscore 9
1 Oscar Nomination: Writing, Original Story
IMDb: “A teenage girl, overjoyed when her favorite uncle comes to visit the family in their quiet California town, slowly begins to suspect that he is in fact the “Merry Widow” killer sought by the authorities.”
When Hitchcock was asked his favorite of his own films, he always mentioned Shadow of a Doubt. It’s certainly not as well-known as Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, or Rear Window, but it’s still quintessential Hitchcock.
The reason he gave for this film being his favorite was that he loved the idea of evil coming to a small, peaceful town.
Joseph Cotton is Uncle Charlie, and Teresa Wright plays his namesake niece. The supporting cast, including a young Hume Cronyn, is most excellent.
Uncle Charlie’s visit is met with much fanfare by his adoring sister and the entire town. But Charlie is also being followed by two detectives who are tracking the “Merry Widow” killer.
This is a slow burn as Cotton transforms from a loving caring uncle to someone his niece doesn’t even recognize.
The way Joseph Cotton can switch from loving to menacing in the same scene is impressive. He, and this film, are underrated.
#4: Rope (1948)
AP/80 m/IMDb: 7.9/Hitchscore 8
IMDb: “Two men attempt to prove they committed the perfect crime by hosting a dinner party after strangling their former classmate to death.”
Also part of S2:E14 - “Where’s the Music? Scoreless Movies,” Rope is a taut thriller centering around two friends that murder another friend to test a theory, and for the thrill of it.
Directly after the murder, the pair host a dinner party. On the guest list are the deceased classmate’s father and girlfriend. The body is in a cabinet on which dinner is being served! These guys are hard core.
The killers are played by John Dall and Farley Granger, and it’s mesmerizing to see their relationship revealed through their words and actions. Jimmy Stewart plays their former school headmaster who is also invited to the get together.
Like Lifeboat, this is a claustrophobic thriller. Rope takes place entirely in one room. The room in which the murder was committed.
How does Hitchcock make his trademark cameo? His famous profile is seen out of the window in the form of a blinking red neon sign. Brilliant!
#3:Dial “M” for Murder (1954)
NR/105 m/IMDb: 8.2/Hitchscore 12
IMDb: “A former tennis star arranges the murder of his adulterous wife.”
The “adulterous wife” in Dial “M” for Murder is played by the always wonderful Grace Kelly. I always sided with her even though she was a cheater. HOW CAN YOU WANT TO MURDER GRACE KELLY?!!?
Ray Milland is deliciously evil in this as the husband, but the true star of this may be John Williams (the character actor, not the composer) who plays Chief Inspector Hubbard.
It’s a joy to watch the games being played by the jealous husband and the stoic chief inspector. Just when you think you have something all figured out, there’s another twist.
I’d tell you to pay special attention to the latch keys, but they’re the McGuffin, so they don’t really matter anyway. Wink, wink.
#2: Strangers on a Train (1951)
NR/101 m/IMDb: 7.9/Hitchscore 14
1 Oscar Nomination: Cinematography (b&w)
IMDb: “A psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder.”
Farley Granger is back, and his character couldn’t be more different than the man he played in Rope. In Strangers on a Train, Granger plays tennis pro Guy Haines (more tennis!) who is trapped in a failed marriage. His wife plays around frequently, so Guy has taken up with a senator’s daughter on the side.
Guy happens to meet Bruno Antony (played by the marvelous Robert Walker) on a train. It turns out that Bruno is very wealthy but hates his domineering father.
Bruno comes up with a plan to make both he and Guy happy. Bruno suggests that he kill Guy’s wife and Guy will kill Bruno’s father.
Guy thinks he’s crazy to even suggest such a thing.
He doesn’t know the half of it.
There are a dozen delightful films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. You can’t miss with any of them, in my opinion. That’s twelve down, and my favorite to go…
#1: Rear Window (1954)
AP/112 m/IMDb: 8.5/Hitchscore 10
4 Oscar Nominations: Director (Hitchcock), Writing, Cinematography (c), Sound
IMDb: “A photographer in a wheelchair spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend.”
The photographer (L.B. Jefferies) is played by Jimmy Stewart while the fashion-model girlfriend (Lisa Fremont) is played by another Hitchcock (and Cinema Wellman) favorite Grace Kelly.
There are many reasons why Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock film. For one, the set is amazing. Hitchcock had a four-story mockup of the back of a brownstone built. Each apartment had electricity, running water, and a working toilet. One of the actresses actually lived in her “apartment” during shooting!
One of the things Alfred Hitchcock is masterful at is camera movement. All great directors have the ability to make you look exactly where you want them to, but Hitchcock takes it to another level. Rear Window is packed with voyeuristic images, and Hitchcock is always there to point out exactly where you should be looking.
L.B.’s nurse (he’s laid up with a broken leg) is played by the incomparable character actress Thelma Ritter. A six-time Oscar nominee (with sadly, zero wins), Ritter is amazing in every movie in which she appears. She’s one of those actors that I’ll watch a movie she’s in regardless of what it is. She usually plays a tough, snarky wisecracker. I’ve seen her go toe to toe with some of Hollywood’s leading men, and she always gets the better of them.
Another reason why Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock movie is Grace Kelly and how Hitchcock shoots her. Hitch loved Grace Kelly, the camera loved Grace Kelly, Cinema Wellman loves Grace Kelly.
Good enough for Hitch, good enough for us.
Well, that’s it for our first ever “Director’s Corner” episode! If you enjoy suspense and mystery, you can never go wrong with a production involving Sir Alfred Hitchcock.
We hope you join us again next week when we’ll unpack the Best & Worst movies screened here at Cinema Wellman during the month of July!
Until then, enjoy the summer, and take care.
