Alfred Hitchcock
When somebody mentions suspense movies, who do you think of? None other than the Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. Without Hitch, what we understand as the modern thriller would not exist. Using his unique style, visual acuteness and attention to detail, he created stories full of thrills, chills, romance and mystery. Hitchcock was revolutionary in his craft, being one of the first directors to film "talkies," expect people to sit through a movie startfinish (yes, he started the idea of "getting to the movies on time," not just walking in), and using psychology to represent the characters. He is also famous for his TV show, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," which featured mini mysteries.
Hitch's Blonde Bombshells
A Hitchcock movie just doesn't seem complete without the token blonde. These women were often put in the worst possible situations and, more often than not, ended up being the love interest or heroine. Here is a list of movies with these iconic actresses:
* Grace Kelly
** Dial M For Murder (1954): This film was originally shot in 3D and was later converted to 2D for release, but it is often still shown in 3D in theaters. In this film, Grace Kelly is arrested and accused of murdering a man in her apartment.
** Rear Window (1954): One of Hitchcock's most well-known films, Rear Window also stars James Stewart as a temporarily wheelchair bound man who suspects his neighbor of murder.
** To Catch a Thief (1955): The 'Cat,' James Robie, a retired burglar is accused of returning to his old career. With Kelly as his sidekick, he must clear his name and prove his innocence.
* Ingrid Bergman
** Under Capricorn (1949): This melodrama is based on the novel by Helen de Guerry Simpson. It costars Joseph Cotten, also known for his collaborations with Hitchcock.
* Tippi Hedren
** The Birds (1963): The title is self-evident. Hitchcock provides us with a scary phenomenon: birds go crazy, get angry and seek revenge on mankind. The reason why is anybody's guess.
* Eva Marie Saint
** North by Northwest (1959): One of Hitchcock's most memorable films, this movie is about mistaken identity. A wealthy businessman (Cary Grant) gets involved with a US government mess that involves espionage, rogue spies, romance with a femme fatale and... Mount Rushmore?
MacGuffin? Is That Some Fast Food Sandwich?
Technically, by Hitchcock's logic, a MacGuffin is nothing of actual importance to the plot except to help get it rolling. So the missing money Janet Leigh steals in Psycho that leads her sister to Bates Motel and the jewelry stolen in To Catch a Thief are two easy MacGuffins that don't need explanation. It's just a catch for the audience to want to keep watching. Here are movies based on this principle:
* Government secrets/papers
** The 39 Steps (1935): It all begins with a man with the world's most accurate memory and his knowledge of a secret government project to which everyone wants the answer. Unfortunately for one Mr. Hannay, it leads to the assassination of a British spy in his apartment and planted evidence. He seeks answers about the "39 Steps" necessary to clear his name.
** Notorious (1946): When post-World War II Nazis plan a retaliation, A US CIA agent (Cary Grant again) enlists the help of Alicia Huberman, the daughter of a convicted war criminal, to help spy on the Germans and obtain evidence.
** Sabotage (1936): A woman suspects her husband may be part of an organization responsible for bombing the city of London.
* Murder/Disappearance Evidence
** Strangers on a Train (1951): When two men share a train car, they kiddingly agree to swap murders (or ''is'' it a joke)?
** The Lady Vanishes (1938): When a train is delayed, a woman wakes to find her new acquaintance has mysteriously disappeared. When she asks the other passengers where she had gone, they all deny that this woman even existed.
** Vertigo (1958): A man suffering from a fear of heights is forced to face his phobia to save the love of his life (Kim Novak).
* Mistaken Identity/Suspicious Motives
** Saboteur (1942): A laborer is wrongly accused of burning down his factory full of military planes.
** Suspicion (1941): A newly wedded wife believes her husband may be attempting to kill her and inherit her family fortune.
** The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956): A young boy is kidnapped while his family vacations in Morocco. It turns out the kidnappers want information about an assassination attempt on a foreign statesman, but the family knows little about it.
Villains and Femme Fatales
Plenty of Hitchcock's movies are about people with traumatic backgrounds. It goes to show that even Hitchcock thought "talking out your issues" isn't as fun as letting them get out of control. Here are movies with blatant psychotics:
* Naughty Girls
** Blackmail (1929): A woman kills a man in self-defense and begins to suffer from a guilt complex. The question is: will she ever admit to the murder or will she hide from the police?
** Marnie (1964): Starring Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery, this film is about a thief caught red-handed by her boss. Things get a little more complicated when her boss falls in love with her and vows to solve why she suffers from this kleptomania.
* Bad Boys
** Psycho (1960): Sometimes considered an inspiration for later slasher films, Psycho was a monumental breakthrough. To prevent spoiling the surprise twist involving Janet Leigh, cinema-goers were not permitted to enter the theater after the picture had started.
** Shadow of A Doubt (1943): Uncle Charlie mysteriously visits his sister's family one day and decides to move in. However, because of his erratic behavior, his niece, Little Charlie, begins to suspect he's running away from something.
** Spellbound (1945): Actor Gregory Peck plays a man claiming to be Dr. Edwardes, but who is really a patient suffering from amnesia. He does not remember why, but he believes he killed the real doctor.
** Rope (1948): Two college graduates propose an argument: can you commit the perfect murder and get away with it? To prove it, they invite the murder victim's family and favorite professor to dinner.
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