The 39 Steps also was a Hitchcock film! I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but Psycho is the one I still reliably watch the most (every Halloween). Even as I rant about how he traumatized Janet Leigh making it and also did Vera Miles dirty in her career.
yes I just read 39 Steps yesterday but haven't seen the movie yet! Its low on the list though, I still need to watch Notorious and a few others. I didn't know about him traumatizing Janet but why does that not surprise me 😩
I was trying to remember if I'd seen Notorious, which suggests I should at least try it again. Not sure what others are on your list but I'd add Jamaica Inn, starring a very young Maureen O'Hara!
The Bechdel Cast had a great episode on Psycho and, iirc, touched on how traumatic filming that shower scene was for Leigh. Which perhaps was inevitable given the subject matter but from what I had read and heard I don't think he helped matters.
"Above Suspicion," either the book by Helen MacInnes or the 1943 film with Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray, are also worthy additions to the "A little bit detective, a little bit spy," AND "vacation gone shifty" categories. And I haven't read it yet so I can't vouch for it, but I recently learned Erich Maria Remarque wrote a spy novel set in Lisbon ("The Night in Lisbon") and that is 100 percent on my TBR now.
I loved this list! Tender is the Night was so good. So melancholy. I kept waiting for a happy ending...pats my own head.
I don't think it's my favorite Hitchcock film but the one that has always stayed with me is The Rope. Something about the overall tone of the film made me feel like I was sleepwalking in the most eerie way.
I couldn't agree more about the slow cuts in older movies. I've been watching a lot of French film lately and I noticed the difference in my viewing pleasure. Focusing on slowing everything waaaaay down in my life has done my body and mind so much good.
Tender is the Night is my favorite Fitzgerald, Keats my favorite poet, Ode to a Nightingale my second fav Keats ode. Never knew melancholy could be so good, right?
I haven't seen The Rope yet, but will add to my list - Mark and I are hooked now! What French films should we watch?? I've seen none sadly let's change that
Wonderful post! My sweetie came across Hitchcock’s old TV show—I remember it vaguely as a child—called Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It is a blast—very well done with a lot of performances by actors/actresses who went on to big things. Hitchcock introduces the show and comes back on with a wrap up at the end—he is a trip!
Love this list, and yes I think I will stay inside this summer, thank you! My fave Hitchcock movie is Rope, and now I'm inspired to find a book pairing for it.
I was laid up recently recovering from Achilles tendon surgery and watched 2 Hitchcocks—The 39 Steps (for about the 8th time) and I Confess for the first time. The 39 Steps is my favorite early Hitchcock. It’s a pleasure to see the effects of his silent film training plus the love partners are much more age appropriate than the huge gap in ages in Vertigo and North by Northwest (although still 2 of my favorites). The 39 Steps’ silent scene in the Highlands where the old husband is looking through the window at the protagonist and the old guy’s young wife—priceless! I had watched The Wrong Man with Henry Fonda and Vera Miles a few years ago. Different than a lot of Hitchcocks, slow moving for one thing, but with a lot of the same themes. I Confess kind of fit with that. 2 relatively minor movies in his career but what a decade he had in the 50s! But a terrible man in many ways. He should have been jailed for what he did to Tippi Hedren in The Birds. Even on The 39 Steps he played a sadistic practical joke on the stars. If you haven’t seen it try to fit in Buster Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr. 44 minutes. Sublime.
The more I learn about Hitchcock the more I do not like sadly, but his art is remarkable. I haven't watched 39 Steps yet, I had to read the book first so now Im ready. The age gap in Vertigo was vaguely disturbing (among other things).
The 39 Steps also was a Hitchcock film! I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but Psycho is the one I still reliably watch the most (every Halloween). Even as I rant about how he traumatized Janet Leigh making it and also did Vera Miles dirty in her career.
yes I just read 39 Steps yesterday but haven't seen the movie yet! Its low on the list though, I still need to watch Notorious and a few others. I didn't know about him traumatizing Janet but why does that not surprise me 😩
I was trying to remember if I'd seen Notorious, which suggests I should at least try it again. Not sure what others are on your list but I'd add Jamaica Inn, starring a very young Maureen O'Hara!
The Bechdel Cast had a great episode on Psycho and, iirc, touched on how traumatic filming that shower scene was for Leigh. Which perhaps was inevitable given the subject matter but from what I had read and heard I don't think he helped matters.
"Above Suspicion," either the book by Helen MacInnes or the 1943 film with Joan Crawford and Fred MacMurray, are also worthy additions to the "A little bit detective, a little bit spy," AND "vacation gone shifty" categories. And I haven't read it yet so I can't vouch for it, but I recently learned Erich Maria Remarque wrote a spy novel set in Lisbon ("The Night in Lisbon") and that is 100 percent on my TBR now.
ok amazing additions to the list. I have never heard of this podcast so checking it out now .
I loved this list! Tender is the Night was so good. So melancholy. I kept waiting for a happy ending...pats my own head.
I don't think it's my favorite Hitchcock film but the one that has always stayed with me is The Rope. Something about the overall tone of the film made me feel like I was sleepwalking in the most eerie way.
I couldn't agree more about the slow cuts in older movies. I've been watching a lot of French film lately and I noticed the difference in my viewing pleasure. Focusing on slowing everything waaaaay down in my life has done my body and mind so much good.
Tender is the Night is my favorite Fitzgerald, Keats my favorite poet, Ode to a Nightingale my second fav Keats ode. Never knew melancholy could be so good, right?
so melancholy - the perfect descriptor!
I haven't seen The Rope yet, but will add to my list - Mark and I are hooked now! What French films should we watch?? I've seen none sadly let's change that
Purple noon is a great one and so is Jules and Jim those are a few French films I've seen
hitchcock summer i LOVE this. most of his films really feel quite sweltering!
sweltering is a perfect description
Wonderful post! My sweetie came across Hitchcock’s old TV show—I remember it vaguely as a child—called Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It is a blast—very well done with a lot of performances by actors/actresses who went on to big things. Hitchcock introduces the show and comes back on with a wrap up at the end—he is a trip!
I've always meant to watch that show, I will need to get on that during my long Hitchcock summer 😂
I love this so much, Hitchcock summer winter fall and spring!! Also, Charade, a very Hitchcock-ian not-Hitchcock movie
its like a little song, Hitchcock all year long 🎶....
Love this list, and yes I think I will stay inside this summer, thank you! My fave Hitchcock movie is Rope, and now I'm inspired to find a book pairing for it.
ok second vote for Rope I need to see it!
North by Northwest is my favorite Hitchcock! Probably followed by To Catch a Thief.
Excellent excellent choices!!
I was laid up recently recovering from Achilles tendon surgery and watched 2 Hitchcocks—The 39 Steps (for about the 8th time) and I Confess for the first time. The 39 Steps is my favorite early Hitchcock. It’s a pleasure to see the effects of his silent film training plus the love partners are much more age appropriate than the huge gap in ages in Vertigo and North by Northwest (although still 2 of my favorites). The 39 Steps’ silent scene in the Highlands where the old husband is looking through the window at the protagonist and the old guy’s young wife—priceless! I had watched The Wrong Man with Henry Fonda and Vera Miles a few years ago. Different than a lot of Hitchcocks, slow moving for one thing, but with a lot of the same themes. I Confess kind of fit with that. 2 relatively minor movies in his career but what a decade he had in the 50s! But a terrible man in many ways. He should have been jailed for what he did to Tippi Hedren in The Birds. Even on The 39 Steps he played a sadistic practical joke on the stars. If you haven’t seen it try to fit in Buster Keaton’s Sherlock, Jr. 44 minutes. Sublime.
The more I learn about Hitchcock the more I do not like sadly, but his art is remarkable. I haven't watched 39 Steps yet, I had to read the book first so now Im ready. The age gap in Vertigo was vaguely disturbing (among other things).
I was obsessed with Hitchcock as a kid! Read Window will always be my favorite, followed closely by To Catch a Thief. Also love Rebecca though!!
Need to see Rebecca!! there are SO many!! :)
Indoor cat 4 lyfe.
i'm not suffering outside no thank you...
Absolutely not. Happy to act as alibi if needed - “I cannot go out I have to buddy read” etc. (though we should do that at some point!)
yes we should!!! im doing Middlemarch hnow but open to something this summer or even fall :)
My kind of summer!!!
just posted up in complete comfort!!
The best Hitchcock movie is Rope with James Stewart, but my favorite one is definitely To catch a thief, with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.