When it comes to the movie industry, there have always been certain filmmakers and stars who worked together on a number of films, such as John Wayne and John Ford, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston, and Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. Out of the array of iconic duos, Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant stand as one of the most prolific pair who worked on some of Hitchcock’s greatest films of all time.
Throughout both of their successful careers, Hitchcock and Grant worked on four films together, notably the action-packed thriller North by Northwest and the espionage classic Notorious, credited as two exceptional films from Hollywood’s Golden Age. Despite only collaborating a handful of times, Hitchcock and Grant are conjoined together in history as a monumental duo whose collaborations remain timeless contributions to classic cinema. This list will rank all four Hitchcock and Grant movies based on their quality, how well Grant plays off Hitchcock’s trademark style, and the film’s overall legacy.
4
‘To Catch a Thief’ (1955)
Starring Grace Kelly, John Williams, and Jessie Royce Landis
Grant stars alongside one of Hitchcock’s blondes, Grace Kelly, in the romantic thriller To Catch a Thief. It follows former thief John “The Cat” Robie (Grant), who, despite retiring from his criminal ways, soon becomes the local authorities’ prime suspect in a series of robberies in the area that resemble his previous work. As Robie tries to clear his name, he seeks out the owners of expensive jewels in the area, starting with the young and gorgeous Frances Stevens (Kelly), who he develops a passionate romance with. When Frances’ jewels are stolen, she immediately suspects her new beau, putting their newfound relationship in jeopardy unless Robie can find the real thief and recover Frances’ and the others’ priceless jewels.
To Catch a Thief is noted as one of Hitchcock’s most visually stunning movies, taking place along the lush and vibrant countryside of the French Riviera. Grant and Kelly are absolutely spellbinding together; they have a flawless sense of natural chemistry, deeming them to be the epitome of glamour and all-consuming romance. The movie earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Art Direction and Best Costuming by famous costume designer Edith Head, and went on to win Best Cinematography. Compared to Hitchcock’s other popular films, many noted a sense of disappointment in the lack of suspense and intensity in To Catch a Thief, which The Master of Suspense is widely regarded for bringing to his pictures. Aside from the minor criticism, Grant and Kelly’s exceptional performances, glamorous costuming, and beautiful cinematography are the saving grace of this elegant Hitchcock and Grant classic.
To Catch A Thief
- Release Date
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August 3, 1955
- Runtime
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106 Minutes
3
‘Suspicion’ (1941)
Starring Joan Fontaine, Cedric Hardwicke, and Auriol Lee
Grant takes on a complex and intriguing role in the romantic psychological thriller Suspicion. The actor plays charming cad Johnnie Aysgarth as he falls in love with wealthy but naive socialite Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine), who can’t deny Johnnie’s boyish good looks and silver tongue. Despite her father’s and others’ warnings and Johnnie’s checkered reputation as a swindler and conman, Lina marries him. Shortly after tying the knot, Lina begins to suspect that Johnnie has fallen into financial debt, but her concerns grow even more when Johnnie’s business partner winds up murdered. The tragic event leads Lina to not only suspect her husband as the murderer but also to think that Johnnie is trying to kill her for her large inheritance.
Suspicion is based on the 1932 novel Before the Fact by Francis Iles and tediously toys with the intentions of Grant’s character, conveying a consistent level of suspense and anticipation in true Hitchcock style. The movie went on to receive three Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Score. Fontaine won the Oscar for Best Actress for Suspicion, becoming the only actor to win an Oscar for a Hitchcock movie. Grant’s performance is both perplexing and charismatic, giving a seemingly innocent impression that occasionally wavers in the back of the audience’s minds. According to The Dark Side of Genius by Donald Spoto, Hitchcock fought to remain true to the novel’s original ending, but the studio, RKO Pictures, was concerned that Grant playing a murderer could damage his heroic public image, forcing the director to alter the film’s ending. While it would’ve been interesting to see Grant take on an against-type role, Hitchcock and Grant still give a thrilling final product with just the right amount of drama and tension that leaves audiences fully satisfied.
2
‘Notorious’ (1946)
Starring Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, and Leopoldine Konstantin
Set post-World War II, Grant stars in one of Hitchcock’s greatest films of all time, Notorious. He plays US government agent T.R. Devlin, who recruits Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman), the daughter of a convicted war criminal, to go undercover and earn the affection of Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), a former Nazi hiding out in Brazil. While Alicia is successful with her mission, her relationship with Alexander becomes serious and the two marry, putting her in potentially serious danger if her cover is blown. As Alicia tries to juggle her double life, both men fall in love with her, making the situation not only complicated but also more dangerous.
The 1946 American spy film Notorious was a major milestone in Hitchcock’s career as it marked the director’s transition into his era of mature and artistic filmmaking. The film features Hitchcock’s traditional themes and the plot of an average character thrown into unknown and dangerous territory. Moreover, the love triangle in Notorious symbolizes Hitchcock’s immense growth as a visionary director, conveying a serious love story while remaining true to his authentic craft and motifs. Grant gives a showstopping performance as a man helplessly torn between his heart’s desire and remaining loyal to the larger picture of the mission at hand, creating a vulnerable but profound character that also speaks volumes about the actor’s immense range and versatility. Notorious was another smash hit under Hitchcock and Grant’s belt, earning two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for Rains and Best Original Screenplay for legendary screenwriter Ben Hecht. Today, Notorious is celebrated as one of the best classic films of all time and has been ranked by various outlets, including the American Film Institute, which ranked Notorious at number thirty-eight in its list of 100 Years…100 Thrills.
1
‘North By Northwest’ (1959)
Starring Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, and Martin Landau
In Hitchcock’s signature classic North by Northwest, Grant takes on the role of sophisticated New York City advertising executive Roger Thornhill. This unassuming man finds himself in the middle of a classic case of mistaken identity and is relentlessly pursued by a group of men who belong to an unknown government organization. The chase leads Thornhill across the United States, attempting to shake the men off his trail at every turn he takes. When he boards a train, he meets a lovely fellow passenger, Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who insists on joining Thornhill. As the mysterious henchmen begin to close in on Thornhill and his new travel companion, he starts to put the pieces together of this entire misunderstanding.
North by Northwest is undoubtedly Hitchcock and Grant’s best film together and has been credited as one of the greatest movies of all time. Grant’s dashing and debonair performance ranks as one of the actor’s all-time best, conveying a quick-witted and savvy lead who stands out flawlessly with his sharp attire and handsome good looks. While the film features several noteworthy scenes, the iconic one where Grant is running from a low-flying crop-dusting plane and narrowly escaping death is credited as one of the best in movie history and has since become a staple in pop culture. North by Northwest earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, and Best Original Screenplay. Despite its lack of accolades, North by Northwest is without question Hitchcock and Grant’s greatest cinematic achievement, featuring a perfect storm of talent, a versatile backdrop full of rising and falling tension, and groundbreaking action shots that have gone on to have a massive impact on the spy genre.
