Often regarded as one of the finest directors in the history of cinema, Alfred Hitchcock has an incredibly impressive (and remarkably huge) list of films under his belt. A lot of them, as cinephiles probably know, are considered classics in the horror and thriller genres, leading to Hitchcock to be called the ‘master of suspense.'
But he isn’t perfect. There have been a fair few missteps across his career that this list will be delving into with this list. IMDb was used to compare the five best Hitchcock masterpieces, with a few duds.
BEST: Dial M For Murder (1954): 8.2
Just before Hitchcock teamed up with Grace Kelly for Rear Window, the two worked together on Dial M For Murder. The film was, for some reason, originally supposed to be shown in 3D, but audiences quickly lost interest and it (mostly) wasn’t. They didn’t lose interest in the film, though.
The mystery and suspense around the story has been praised almost universally since its release, while Hitchcock’s incredible ability to attract the best actors to his films always seems to be a recipe for success.
WORST: The Skin Game (1931): 5.8
The 1931 feature The Skin Game is an adaptation of a John Galsworthy play, and a remake of a silent film from ten years previously. The film gets off to a very good start by having the two stars of the previous version of the film reprise their roles, but that’s about where the good stuff ends. The plot isn’t particularly exciting (it follows a feud between two families) and the acting and dialogue leaves a lot to be desired.
BEST: North By Northwest (1959): 8.3
Ernest Lehman wrote the screenplay to North By Northwest with the intention of writing ‘the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures’. He almost pulled it off, with this film coming in at fourth place.
The film follows an innocent man who is being tracked by an organization who believe he is someone he isn’t. The film was given a relatively large budget and didn’t do overly well at the box office, but has still managed to go down in history as one of the best films of all time.
WORST: Rich And Strange (1931): 5.8
1931 can’t have been a great year for Hitchcock. A busy one, sure, but a great one? Not so much. Rich And Strange averages a not-terrible 5.8 despite the screenplay being adapted by Hitchcock himself. Despite not being a silent film for about a third of its length, Hitchcock decided to take an approach that many silent films would for a large amount of its duration; captioning scenes and having characters overact very visually. This led to a strange sense of inconsistency and unnecessary experimentalism.
BEST: Vertigo (1958): 8.3
Vertigo is another of his incredibly well-received psychological thrillers to be considered one of the greatest films of all time. James Stewart takes the lead role, playing Scottie, a detective whose vertigo led to the death of another policeman who wants to get over his fear.
In his depiction of Scottie’s vertigo, Hitchcock managed to invent a whole new style of camerawork: the dolly zoom. This disorienting effect moves the camera away while zooming in, giving the effect of the feeling of vertigo.
WORST: Easy Virtue (1928): 5.7
One of Hitchcock’s silent films, Easy Virtue, is also one of his least well-revered. It might have come only eight years into his directorial career, but it certainly isn’t one of his first films. He had a wealth of experience already under his belt but was unable to entertain the masses with this release. It has all of the trademark darkness of a Hitchcock film, but lacks the ability to craft tension and drama.
BEST: Rear Window (1954): 8.4
Another of Hitchcock’s most well-loved classics, Rear Window, has been parodied by just about everyone. This was the second 1954 film that Hitchcock brought Grace Kelly on board for, and was a huge success upon release and in critical retrospectives.
Shot entirely on one meticulously crafted set designed to accurately represent a Greenwich courtyard, the film pulls off a remarkable sense of claustrophobia and tension, while depicting the LB Jefferies descent into madness as he spies on neighbors he is suspicious of.
WORST: Champagne (1928): 5.6
1928 saw the release of one of Hitchcock’s many attempts at comedy. He was called the ‘master of suspense’ for a reason: it was what he was good at. His comedies are certainly not the films he is best ed for. This silent film has to rely on its jaunty score and the ability for its cast to overact to satisfactory standards, and it simply doesn’t work very well.
BEST: Psycho (1960): 8.5
Speaking of finest hours, Psycho is often considered one of the greatest works of cinema in history. The 1960 film came as Hitchcock entered his fortieth year of direction and stars Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles as two of the most famous characters from the world of horror.
Despite being filmed with a low budget, returning to black and white and using a TV film crew instead of one for a film, it achieved four Academy Award nominations and an incredible box-office return. Since its release, three sequels, a remake and a TV series have all come from what Hitchcock achieved.
WORST: Juno And The Paycock (1930): 4.8
According to IMDb, Hitchcock’s worst film is his worst film by quite a way. The 4.8 average clocks in at a full 0.8 lower than Champagne, and for good reason. The film is based on a very successful play and doesn’t do it justice. It brings some of the cast from the original cast of the play onto the big screen, and their acting work doesn’t translate well, while the fake-Irish songs were all huge misses. Certainly not his finest hour.
