THE FILMS OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK

I have been a fan of Alfred Hitchcock films for many years. My favourite Hitchcock film is "North by Northwest" (1959). Cary Grant was perfect as Roger Thornhill in the lead but in fact James Stewart had been desperate to obtain the part and kept pestering Hitchcock about it. However when Stewart signed up for "Anatomy of a Murder" that gave Hitchcock the opportunity to hire Cary Grant - the actor he had wanted all along. Hitchcock apparently thought that James Stewart looked too old but he was actually four years younger than Grant!! Jessie Royce Landis played Grant's mother in the film but she had been born in the same year as him!! She had played Grace Kelly's mother in another Hitchcock film with Cary Grant ("To Catch a Thief" - 1955). My favourite line: "You gentlemen aren't really trying to kill my son are you?". (Jessie Royce Landis to Adam Williams and Robert Ellenstein in hotel elevator).
Incidentally I once received a personal letter from Alfred Hitchcock in which he told me which were the six favourite films he had directed (in response to a question I had asked).

Related lists

View more top voted lists