It's hard to choose just one favorite movie out of so many. But, if I was to make a list of the twenty best films of all time (in my opinion), at the very top of that list would have to be "Vertigo..." which is also my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film. Though it was made back in 1958, the story is timeless and the two leads (James Stewart and Kim Novak) play off of each other very well. The movie is a visual masterpiece. Plus, it has an intriguing plot with several twists and turns and an amazing musical score by Bernard Herrmann. It's one of Herrmann's best, in fact. But, what I really love about "Vertigo" is James Stewart's unhinged performance. He's just so amusing to watch. This isn't the "Ah chucks, Ma'am" Jimmy Stewart of his earlier films, like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." He is tough, cynical, intense, and ultimately driven by a crazy obsession. He's much like the vengeful characters he played in the Anthony Mann Westerns. I love his intensity and extreme facial expressions. And, by the end of the movie, he's just downright sinister as he drags poor Kim Novak to her doom. When he's carrying her up the bell tower staircase and says to her, "We're going up and look at the scene of the crime," I'm reminded of the Wicked Witch of the West. It's borderline campy, which is part of the movie's appeal... along with the ironic ending. The last shot of Stewart standing on the tower ledge and staring down at his lover's corpse with a stunned look on his face, makes the whole journey worth the while. It's as if Hitchcock is playing a joke on us. Suddenly, all is lost... but at least Stewart is finally cured of his vertigo. Such are the ironies of real life. I have to watch this movie about ten times a year just to be reminded of what great filmmaking is all about.
My second favorite Hitchcock film is "Psycho." Every time I see it, I imagine how exciting it must have been to watch it in a movie theater for the very first time, back in 1960 (three years before I was born). Talk about a real roller coaster ride! First, we're following Janet Leigh and worrying about her little predicament, because it's the lovable Janet Leigh headed down the wrong path. Then comes the shocker about midway through and we suddenly find ourselves following someone with even bigger problems. Anthony Perkins delivers the performance of a lifetime. He is bone-chilling right to the very end, when we see him sitting in his cell with a devilish expression on his face, staring directly into the camera as his mother speaks through him in voiceover... very creepy. The film is visually stunning with its black and white cinematography. And, it features another brilliant musical score by Bernard Herrmann.
The next Hitchcock film on my list doesn't even have a music soundtrack. But, it's rich with sound and relies heavily on sound effects, mostly birds... lots and lots of birds. I like to watch "The Birds" (1963) on Halloween, along with "Psycho," because they're both great horror movies. And, what sets them apart from other great horror movies is that the monsters are real- rather than supernatural. In "The Birds," the monsters are all around us. We see and hear them in everyday life and mostly take them for granted, never expecting them to turn against us someday. Yet, man has pitted himself against nature since the days of Adam and Eve. It wouldn't be too unrealistic to think that nature would suddenly strike back in such a horrific manner. I never looked at a bird the same way again after watching this movie for the first time... just like I always lock the bathroom door before taking a shower, thanks to "Psycho." Another thing I like about "The Birds" is that it begins like a soap opera and there's a bit of a love triangle between Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, and Suzanne Pleshette. All the characters (and the audience) are completely unaware that something bigger is brewing "out there" that will turn their world upside down. Once again, I'm reminded of "Psycho," where we're taken one direction, but then comes the sudden twist that shoots everything straight to hell. We only thought we knew what was going on. And now, we have no idea what's going to happen next. Time to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Number four on my list is "Notorious." Made in 1946, it is an exceptional romantic thriller about Nazi spies. It's also a very powerful love story. I'm not a huge fan of Cary Grant. I've always preferred James Stewart's everyman to his too good-looking to be everyman. But, he is excellent here. He's witty, charming, dark, and vulnerable. The role fits him like a glove- and I can't picture anyone else playing it. Ingrid Bergman is equally amazing in her role. Not only is she beautiful to look at, she's funny, hard-boiled, sensitive, and very complex. But, it's Claude Rains who really steals the show as the master antagonist. He is supremely menacing, yet oddly sympathetic. I actually feel for him in the very last scene, where Grant and Bergman drive off and leave him to face his Nazi cohorts. It seems very likely that his death will soon follow. It's the perfect ending to a perfect movie. I don't know if you can call it film noir, but I enjoy watching it as such. I love the punchy dialogue and the brilliant camera work. Black and white has never looked so good.
I can list at least a dozen favorite Hitchcock films. But, unfortunately, I only have room for one more in this blog. Number five would have to be "Strangers on a Train." It's a little gem of a thriller, made in 1951 and based on a novel by one of my favorite female authors, Patricia Highsmith. Though Farley Granger and Ruth Roman are kind of blande in their respective lead roles, Robert Walker's unscrupulous villain is a real treat to watch. He's both menacing and charming at the same time. As far as Hitchcock villains go, I'd say he's definitely in the top five, along with Anthony Perkins (Psycho), Claude Rains (Notorious), Joseph Cotten (Shadow of a Doubt), and Judith Anderson (Rebecca). "Strangers on a Train" is a fun thriller from beginning to end. And, the climactic scene, involving a runaway merry-go-round, is one of the most exciting climaxes ever.
So, there you have it. Those are the first five. The next five would be "Rebecca," "Rear Window," "North by Northwest," "Shadow of a Doubt," and "Foreign Correspondent..." in that order. But, honestly, the list could just go on and on, seeing that there are so many great Hitchcock films. Very few directors have given us such an impressive body of work. I'll be discussing those few in future blogs. Next up, William Wyler.
