Alfred Hitchcockis one of the most iconic directors in cinema history who delivered memorable classic films, includingNorth by Northwest,Rear Window, andNotorious. The Master of Suspense was a cinematic genius in his own right, but one of the major elements of his massive success was the array of talented Hollywood stars he worked with, such asCary Grant,Grace Kelly, andIngrid Bergman.
It’s hard to think of any performance in a Hitchcock film that isn’t top-notch, but there are some, likeTippi Hedren’s feature film debut inThe BirdsandLaurence Olivier’s intense performance in Hitchcock’s American debut,Rebecca, that reign as some of the best performances in any of Hitchcock’s films. Out of the extensive list of director’s exceptional work, these are by far the ten best performances in Hitchcock’s movies, ranked.
10Teresa Wright as Charlie
‘Shadow of a Doubt’ (1943)
Teresa Wrightgives one of her finest performances in Hitchcock’s classic film noir,Shadow of a Doubt, as the young and naive Charlie, who is overjoyed when her favorite uncle (Joseph Cotten) and namesake makes a surprise visit. As Charlie begins to spend more time with her uncle, she starts to suspect that he might be a wanted murderer known as the Merry Widow Killer.
Wright gives a sharp and riveting performance inShadow of a Doubt,beautifully portraying a character who is undoubtedly torn between logic and emotion that sends her down a dangerous path. The young actress effectively holds her own against the established Cotten, who already had a number of classic performances under his belt, and both accurately conveying a strong family bond while secretly doubting each other and their genuine intentions.
Shadow of a Doubt
A teenage girl, overjoyed when her favorite uncle comes to visit the family in their quiet California town, slowly begins to suspect that he is in fact the “Merry Widow” killer sought by the authorities.
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9Ingrid Bergman as Alicia Huberman
‘Notorious’ (1946)
Oscar-winning actress, Ingrid Bergman, starred in several Hitchcock films, but she gives a highly memorable performance in the director’s espionage thriller,Notorious, as the daughter of a convicted war criminal turned spy, Alicia Huberman. Bergman stars alongside Cary Grant, who plays an American agent, T.R. Devlin, who recruits Huberman to win the affection of Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), a Nazi hiding out in Brazil.
Bergman delivers a sensational performance inone of Hitchcock’s most stylish films, portraying her character with a warm emotional appeal and sophistication that rightfully earns her a spot on the list. While Bergman brings a unique dramatic quality to her character, she also captures an alluring chemistry with both Grant and Rains, making it difficult for audiences to decipher where her true loyalty lies, adding another element of suspense and unpredictability to the Hitchcock thriller.
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8Tippi Hedren as Melanie Daniels
‘The Birds’ (1963)
After being spotted in a commercial for a diet drink, Hitchcock contacted Tippi Hedren and after weeks of tests and meetings, the director cast her as the lead, Melanie Daniels, in his now-universally recognizeddark thriller,The Birds. Hedren’s character, Daniels, meets a handsome gentleman, Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) at a pet shop in San Francisco and is immediately smitten with him. When she personally delivers his sister’s birthday gift to him at Bodega Bay, the birds on the island begin to act strangely erratic, resulting in a series of attacks and fatalities.
Hedren’s performance has a significant touch of mystery and elusiveness that effectively conveys her character’s sense of not fitting in to her surroundings, allowing her to stand out from the characters with little to no effort. It’s a rare occurrence for a star to nail their debut performance, especially in a leading role, butHedren executes her performance as the free-spirited socialite with incredible ease and poise that is incredibly admirable.
7Laurence Olivier as Maxim de Winter
‘Rebecca’ (1940)
Hitchcock made his American film debut with the classic psychological thriller,Rebecca, starring legendary actor, Laurence Olivier, as the brooding aristocrat, Maxim de Winter. The film follows a young woman (Joan Fontaine) who meets and quickly marries de Winter, who is a wealthy young widower, and is swept off to live at his extravagant estate known as Manderley. Once the couple arrive, the new Mrs. de Winter becomes suspicious of her new husband and begins to suspect that the death of his first wife may not have been an unfortunate accident.
Olivier delivers a cryptic and enigmatic performance as the dark, seemingly haunted de Winter, effectively portraying his character as the main intriguing mystery of the story for a majority of the film. Similar to the eerie presentation of Manderley, Olivier conveys his character with the same air of haunting beauty and a sense of unpredictability that heightens the film’s overall suspense and intensity, delivering a captivating and stunning performance.
A self-conscious woman juggles adjusting to her new role as an aristocrat’s wife and avoiding being intimidated by his first wife’s spectral presence.
6James Stewart as L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies
‘Rear Window’ (1954)
James Stewartstars as a wheelchair bound photographer, Jeff Jefferies, who tries to pass his recovery time by watching his neighbors through his window. As he spends his time observing the busy courtyard, he happens to witness an intense fight between a married couple and when the wife suddenly vanishes, Jefferies begins to suspect that the husband (Raymond Burr) is responsible for her mysterious disappearance.
Stewart gives a phenomenal performance in one of Hitchcock’s most unique and vivid psychological thrillers,Rear Window.Considering the actor is confined to a wheelchair throughout the entire film, Stewart expertly utilizes his facial expressions, vocal style, and any potential physical movement available to him that could only be expertly conveyed by a talent of Stewart’s status.Stewart starred in several of Hitchcock’s films, but his performance inRear Windowdemonstrates his impressive ability to make do with his character’s limitations, proving him to be a truly remarkable cinematic talent.
Rear Window
A photographer in a wheelchair spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window, and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend.
5Grace Kelly as Frances Stevens
‘To Catch a Thief’ (1955)
Grace Kellyis the epitome of a Hitchcock Blondewho starred in several of the director’s films, includingRear WindowandDial M for Murder. While she is splendid in each one, she gives an absolutely stellar performance as the lovely Frances Stevens in the romantic thriller,To Catch a Thief. Kelly stars with Cary Grant, who plays John “The Cat” Robie, a reformed jewel thief who finds himself under suspicion when an unknown assailant commits a series of robberies in Robie’s signature style. In an effort to clear his name, he tracks down everyone in the area who owns priceless gems, starting with Kelly’s character, who he inevitably falls for.
Kelly gives a performance of pure elegance and charm inTo Catch a Thief, conveying her character with consistent dignity and grace that only a star like Kelly could fully achieve. She cultivates a solid element of refinement that Grant equally matches with his performance, both establishing a seductive but simple balance of romance and drama. Kelly portrays her character inthe filmwith her signature style and grandeur and while she starred in other Hitchcock films,Kelly undeniably shines like a diamond inTo Catch a Thiefas Frances Stevens.
To Catch a Thief
A retired jewel thief sets out to prove his innocence after being suspected of returning to his former occupation.
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4Joseph Cotten as Charles Oakley
Joseph Cotten takes the lead in Hitchcock’sShadow of a Doubtas the multifaceted murderer, Charles Oakley. When Oakley decides to surprise his family in Santa Rosa, California, they have no idea that he is being pursued by law enforcement, who believe he might be the infamous Merry Widow Killer. As Oakley tries to keep a low profile, his curious niece, Charlie (Teresa Wright), begins to suspect that something is off about her favorite uncle.
“Known for his righteous supporting roles, Cotten gives an epic against-type performance as the sadistic Uncle Charlie…”
Known for his righteous supporting roles, Cotten gives an epic against-type performance as the sadistic Uncle Charlie and conveys his character with a classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde persona. Cotten’s on-screen reputation works in his favor in Shadow of a Doubt and strengthens his character’s double life with little to no extra effort on Cotten’s part. Between his genuine charm and dashing good looks,Cotten is the ideal specimen of an unsuspecting serial killer, making his performance inShadow of a Doubtone of the greatest in any Hitchcock film.
3Cary Grant as Roger O. Thornhill
‘North by Northwest’ (1959)
Cary Grant is one star who delivered spectacular performances in his Hitchcock films, includingSuspicionandNotorious, but his performance as Roger O. Thornhill inNorth by Northwestis without question his most iconic. The spy thriller follows Thornhill, who is a victim of mistaken identity and is pursued across the country by a group of unknown men. As Thornhill tries to get to the bottom of things, he crosses paths with a beautiful woman, Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who joins him on his quest, only to discover that he is a pawn in a much bigger game than he initially suspected.
Grant gives a dazzling and debonair performance inNorth by Northwest, conveying his usual comedic quips with a touch of flamboyant style that ultimately redefined the actor’s on-screen image. He executes his performance flawlessly, nailing every surprised look, slight grin, and humorous puns with a natural and distinctive quality. WhileNorth by Northwestwas a monumental Hitchcock film that had an immense influence on filming techniques and the action spy genre,Grant’s performance is hands down the heart and soul of this Hitchcock masterpiece.
North By Northwest
A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.
2Robert Walker as Bruno Antony
‘Strangers on a Train’ (1951)
There’s a traditional saying in storytelling that a story is only as good as its villain andRobert Walker’s portrayal of the psychopathic Bruno Antony inStrangers on a Trainis a solid testament to that statement. HItchcock’s infamous noir classic follows a famous tennis pro, Guy Haines (Farley Granger) who happens to meet Antony on a train where he discloses his frustration with his unfaithful wife, who refuses to give him a divorce. As the two men part ways, Haines has no clue that his seemingly simple conversation would lead to Antony murdering Haines' wife with the expectation that Haines would return the favor and kill his father.
Walker’s performance as the murderous Bruno Antony is twisted and menacing with an unusual cloak of sophistication and wealth that makes the reveal of his true nature a shock and awe moment. He brilliantly conveys his character as an unassuming, average citizen of society, speaking to the general notion that the real monsters of the world are typically the ones people least suspect, adding a truly terrifying element and realism to Antony.Strangers on a Trainis a first-rate Hitchcock thriller, butit wouldn’t be half as effective without Walker’s sinfully delightful performance as the deranged Bruno Antony.
Strangers on a Train
A psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other’s most-hated person.
1Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Hitchcock’s revolutionary horror film,Psycho, redefined the formula of the traditional horror film with unexpected twists and turns, butAnthony Perkins' performance as the homely, quiet Norman Bates is the jaw-dropping allure of this horror classic. The chilling tale starts off with a young secretary, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) who, after stealing thousands of dollars from her employer, skips town. While on the road, there’s a severe thunderstorm, which forces her to pull over and stay the night at the isolated Bates Motel.
Perkins delivers a complex and ominous performance that initially gives audiences the impression that he is just a little odd, but as the suspense and uncertainty slowly build, it comes to a shocking conclusion that no one ever saw coming. The actor never gives a hint or clue to Bates' true nature, giving audiences just enough for them to make their own conclusion about his character, leading them to disregard him as any real threat, which is the beauty of his overall performance.Perkins' portrayal of Norman Bates inPsychois hands down the greatest performance in any Hitchcock filmand, even decades later, it is considered to be a cornerstone of classic horror and pop culture.
A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer’s client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.
NEXT:10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies That Are Perfect From Start to Finish
