Alfred Hitchcock's top 11 films ranked – Vertigo and Psycho miss out on No. 1

One of the most celebrated directors in the history of cinema, Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock produced and directed over 50 films in a six-decade-spanning career.

His artistry left a mark in the entertainment world, and his legacy is still studied today, especially when it comes to suspense films.

With 46 Academy Award nominations, Hitchcock helped shape the thriller genre for the generations that came after him, and worked with some of the most successful actors of his time, releasing masterpieces worth revisiting no matter the decade.

Here, we take a look at audiences’ favourite Hitchcock films, ranked by their score on cinema reviewing platform Rotten Tomatoes.

11. The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Audience score: 88%

In The Lady Vanishes, a young woman, Iris (Margaret Lockwood), befriends an elderly lady, Miss Froy (May Whitty), on a train journey, only to discover the older woman has vanished – with others denying she ever existed. This leads Iris to investigate and uncover a conspiracy.

It was ranked 35th best British film of the 20th century by the British Film Institute and named Best Picture of 1938 by The New York Times.

10. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Audience score: 89%

Shadow of a Doubt follows Charlotte (Teresa Wright), a young woman who suspects her charming Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten), a visitor to her small town, might be the infamous “Merry Widow murderer”.

The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Story (Gordon McDonell) and Teresa Wright won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actress.

9. Rope (1948)

Audience score: 90%

Brandon and Phillip (John Dall and Farley Granger), who consider themselves intellectually superior, decide to murder their friend David Kentley (Dick Hogan), believing they can get away with it. They strangle him with a rope and hide the body in a chest, then host a dinner party with David’s family and friends, unaware of the crime – all while a professor, Rupert (James Stewart), becomes increasingly suspicious.

Always innovative, Hitchcock got praised for using groundbreaking cinematic techniques in Rope, including its “one-shot” style.

8. Notorious (1946)

Audience score: 91%

In Notorious, US government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) recruits Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy, to infiltrate a circle of Nazi sympathizers in Rio de Janeiro. This leads to a complex love story and espionage thriller.

Notorious was nominated for two Academy Awards – Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Claude Rains) and Best Writing, Original Screenplay (Ben Hecht) -, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

7. Dial M for Murder (1954)

Audience score: 92%

Retired tennis player Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) plots to kill his wealthy, unfaithful wife, Margot (Grace Kelly), to inherit her wealth, fearing a divorce would leave him penniless. On the night of the planned murder, Margot kills Swann in self-defense after he attempts to strangle her, and Tony, instead of being distraught, sees this as an opportunity to frame Margot for Swann’s murder.

Grace Kelly’s performance was lauded by critics of the time, earning her the New York Film Critics and National Board of Review Best Actress Awards. The film also got nominations for BAFTA and Directors Guild of America Awards.

6. Rebecca (1940)

Audience score: 92%

Rebecca is a gothic romance and psychological thriller about a young woman (Joan Fontaine) who marries a wealthy widower (Laurence Olivier), only to find herself haunted by the memory of his deceased first wife, Rebecca, and the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers’s (Judith Anderson) obsession with her.

Rebecca became Hitchcock’s only Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards. It also won an Oscar for Best Cinematography (black and white), and was nominated for nine others.

5. Strangers on a Train (1951)

Audience score: 92%

In Strangers on a Train, a tennis player, Guy Haines (Farley Granger), meets a stranger, Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker), who proposes a “perfect crime” scheme: each man will kill someone the other wants gone, ensuring neither will be suspected. One of them doesn’t go through with the plan, and a deadly game of cat-and-mouse ensues.

The film got an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, as well as a National Board of Review Top Ten Films award, a Director’s Guild of America nomination, and inclusion in the US National Film Registry.

4. Vertigo (1958)

Audience score: 92%

A former San Francisco police detective, John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart), develops a fear of heights after a rooftop chase, and becomes obsessed with a woman, Madeleine (Kim Novak), whom he is hired to follow – leading to a tragic and complex story of obsession and identity.

Many see Vertigo as Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, due to how vast its impact in the film industry was. Despite initial cold reactions, Vertigo ended up being named the greatest film of all time by Sight & Sound magazine in 2012 and being selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry.

3. North by Northwest (1959)

Audience score: 94%

In third place, North by Northwest follows a New York advertising executive, Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), who is mistakenly identified as a spy. The confusion leads him on a thrilling chase across the United States, pursued by both spies and the police, with a beautiful blonde woman (Eva Marie Saint) complicating his escape.

North by Northwest received numerous accolades, including three Academy Award nominations, a Silver Shell for Best Director at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and recognition from both the American and the British Film Institutes.

2. Psycho (1960)

Audience score: 95%

One of the most famous films in history, Psycho sees Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) seek refuge at the eerie Bates Motel after stealing money. The place is run by the seemingly gentle Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his domineering mother. The film culminates in a shocking classic scene, and a genius plot twist that makes the film a landmark of suspense and horror.

Perhaps Alfred Hitchcock’s most known film, Psycho garnered four Academy Award nominations, a Golden Globe win for Janet Leigh, and inclusion in the US National Film Registry.

1. Rear Window (1954)

Audience score: 95%

Topping the list is Rear Window, in which a wheelchair-bound photographer, Jeff (James Stewart), spies on his neighbors, becoming convinced one of them has committed murder. He then, with the help of his nurse (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend (Grace Kelly), tries to solve the crime.

With four Academy Award nominations, Rear Window is considered by the audience to be Hitchcock’s best film. It was also included in the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list and the country’s National Film Registry.