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Alfred Hitchcock movies in order

Fifty-plus films across six decades. Here are the ones that matter, and the one to open with.

Updated 5 August 2026 · 17 titles tracked

Hitchcock directed more than fifty films, including a substantial silent period. This covers the major sound-era works rather than every credit.

He is also the director most likely to be spoiled before you arrive. Psycho's twist is common knowledge; Vertigo's is discussed openly in essays about it. That shapes where you should start.

Hitchcock films, in a suggested starting order

His major sound-era works. An entry path rather than release order — toggle on the filmography page.

  1. 1Rear Window1954 · Major work
  2. 2North by Northwest1959 · Major work
  3. 3Psycho1960 · Major work
  4. 4Vertigo1958 · Major work
  5. 5The Birds1963 · Major work
  6. 6Strangers on a Train1951 · Major work
  7. 7Notorious1946 · Major work
  8. 8Shadow of a Doubt1943 · Major work
  9. 9The 39 Steps1935 · Major work
  10. 10Rebecca1940 · Major work
  11. 11The Lady Vanishes1938
  12. 12Dial M for Murder1954
  13. 13Rope1948
  14. 14To Catch a Thief1955
  15. 15The Man Who Knew Too Much1956
  16. 16Marnie1964
  17. 17Frenzy1972
Open the full Alfred Hitchcock filmography

Start with Rear Window or North by Northwest

Rear Window is the perfect entry: a man with a broken leg watches his neighbours, and Hitchcock builds ninety minutes of unbearable tension out of almost no movement. It is also the clearest demonstration of his actual theory of suspense.

North by Northwest is the most fun — a wrong-man chase with a crop duster and Mount Rushmore, and the template for every spy thriller that followed, James Bond included.

Vertigo is not a first Hitchcock

It is routinely named the greatest film ever made, and it is slow, cold, and about a deeply unwell man. Its pleasures are not the pleasures of Rear Window.

Watch it fourth or fifth. It will do considerably more for you once you can see what he is doing differently.

The one he liked best

Shadow of a Doubt (1943) was reportedly his own favourite — a serial killer hiding inside small-town American family life. It is less famous than it should be and one of the easiest to recommend.

On Marnie

Worth saying plainly: Marnie is inseparable from how Hitchcock treated Tippi Hedren during and after its production. That history is well documented, and it is reasonable to factor it into whether and how you watch his later films.

Common questions

What order should I watch Hitchcock movies in?

Any order — none connect. Start with Rear Window or North by Northwest, then Psycho, The Birds and Vertigo.

Which Hitchcock movie should I watch first?

Rear Window. It is the clearest demonstration of how he builds suspense, and it is immediately gripping.

Is Vertigo a good place to start with Hitchcock?

No. It is frequently named his best but it is slow, cold and strange — much more rewarding once you know his other work.

How many films did Alfred Hitchcock direct?

More than fifty across six decades, including a substantial silent period. This guide covers the major sound-era works.