MovieChat Forums > Torn Curtain (1966) Discussion > Top 5 most underrated Hitchcock films

Top 5 most underrated Hitchcock films

posted 20 years ago by Rokol
48 replies | jump to latest

Name your top 5 most underrated hitches

here is mine:

1 Rope (without a doubt the best of his films that are practically forgotten.)
2 The Trouble With Harry (Really funny and original, I never hear anybody
about this film)
3 Torn Curtain (Often considered as an inferior Hitch, but I think it's great.)
4 Marnie (Great Hermann score, people find this a bit overacted I believe, I
think Tippi Hedren does an oke job.)
5 Family Plot (All right I admit it isn't his best job, I still think it is an
entertaining piece of work.)

Please tell me what you think that Hitchcock's most underrated movies are.

And I am not talking about Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho etc.
We all ready know how good these films are.

[–] He-She-It 20 years ago

Underrated? Hmmm, ... a difficult task. Let me just state that 5 films of Hitchcock that I cant bear to watch are:
1. Topaz (just plain boring. very cold, like the war it depicts)
2. Under Capricorn (Period pieces dont offer much room for suspense)
3. The Paradine Case (No one appears threatened so little suspense)
4. Mr & Mrs Smith (Not my bag of Hitchcock. Imagine Lombard in Family Plot,
THAT would have been entertaining.)
5. Jamaica Inn (Another period piece. What ever possessed him?)
I list these because I feel he really could have done better during this time in his career.
_____________________________________________________________________________
As for films of his I DO like that dont get enough plaudits:
1. Family Plot (I feel the lack of a good music score hurt it.)
2. Torn Curtain (Newmans emotionless performance and needed more story)
3. Marnie (Sets looked stagey and backdrops very bad)
4. Trouble With Harry (BEAUTIFUL color but not enough suspense)
5. Stage Fright (Would have been better with improvement on story)

[–] RexDartEskimoSpy 20 years ago

I can see why you say Topaz. I watched that movie, and before I knew it, it was over, and I didn't know what the hell I just watched. The only part I thought was even half well done was the part with Roscoe Brown (the black guy). That was really the only part of that movie that made it seem like a Hitchcock.

[–] spamwise 20 years ago

Torn Curtain is certainly underated. I didn't see a problem with the casting or acting. Julie Andrews character was just a bit boring. This film has some excellent suspense sequences. Definitely one of the better(but not best) Hitchcock films.

Speaking of overated and underated, I thought rope was extrememly overated, great idea, but could have been a lot better. Marnie, also I feel is a bit overated.

[–] mallettes 19 years ago

TORN CURTAIN would certainly be my top choice for most underrated Hitch movie. It's one of my favorite suspense movie of all time.

[–] sotomisael 19 years ago

I posted this on a thread on Hitchcock's own page here on IMDB which has much more suggestions/responses you should check out (notice Torn Curtain is 5th):

I'd have to say that Marnie and Rope are two of Hitch's most underrated films. They both seem so fresh and daring, I've never seen films like those two.

Maybe one or two of you mentioned I Confess. The films use of black and white photography and symbolic imagery is incredible.

And what about Suspicion? Cary Grant is great and keeps you guessing until the very end. Torn Curtain had me a bit worried as the beginning began to drag a bit, but after that incredible, suspensful murder I was hooked.

Also, nobody mentioned Stage Fright (it's too bad it was overshadowed by the release of Strangers on a Train the following year). I also enjoyed Foreign Correspondent with its fantastic and memorable set peices (the windmill and assassination scenes come to mind).

I guess that would be seven... well, here's my list of Hitch's seven most underrated films:
1. Marnie
2. Rope
3. I Confess
4. Suspicion
5. Torn Curtain
6. Stage Fright
7. Foreign Correspondent

-Open the pod bay doors Hal!
-This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.

[–] BitterAsHell 19 years ago

Gotta say, I do think FRENZY is under-rated. At least in the sense that nobody really seems to talk about it very much, even though it's a pretty well-crafted film.

[–] brianlove1 19 years ago

TORN CURTAIN
THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY
ROPE
SPELLBOUND
LIFEBOAT

[–] joelarue 19 years ago

1. rope
2. lifeboat
3. the man who knew too much (remake)
4. spellbound
5. sabotage

[–] FinnurE 19 years ago

1. Rope - Really good, often noted as "inferior Hitchcock" but I completely disagree
2. The Wrong Man - Also good, this is one film I'd never even heard about until recently
3. Suspicion - People hate it for the ending, but I see nothing wrong with it
4. Sabotage - Another good one that one never hears about
5. The Man Who Knew Too Much (old version) - This is one entertaining oldie that few people ever mention

[–] David Harrison 18 years ago

I find Saboteur really underrated (I haven't seen Sabotage). I also really like Marnie. Rope is an interesting experiment, The Wrong Man an interesting departure from the norm for Hitch, and I agree that Suspicion is fine.

I have to say that I found Torn Curtain really dull, except for the famous murder scene. I never thought I'd say this, but Julie Andrews outshone Paul Newman - playing 'intelligent' really dulled his usual charisma. Several scenes - particularly the endless rear-projection bus scene - generated no suspense at all.

Also, rotten music and credits. Isn't this the one where he fell out with Herrmann? Big mistake. I'm also guessing that Saul Bass wasn't involved.

[–] krorie 19 years ago

I agree that Torn Curtain seldom gets its just desserts. It is certainly one of his best films. The Hitchcock film I personally dislike most is Marnie, even though I see why some would rate it high. To me it was just one extremely long well done soap opera.

Kenneth Rorie

[–] jeffery8182000 19 years ago

Sabetour
Frenzy
Marnie
Rope
Torn curtain

[–] nickyconverse 19 years ago

These are five that no one seems to know about.

1. Rope- This is a fantasticly acted and beautifily made film that goes into deeper subjects than just murder.
2. Saboteur- Not famous. Who cares! This is definitly a Hitchcock classic and is deeply thrilling.
3. Lifeboat- Most certanitly one of the best Hitchcock casts ever!
4. The Trouble With Harry- This is a funny one. Despite the fact that you may be bored by the whole idea, I'll take this over Mr. and Mrs. Smith any day.
5. Family Plot- Superb filmaking, even if it does drag.

[–] dukeofauge 19 years ago

I just want to say that I don't think Rope is underrated at all.
I love it and every hitch fan and film fan (and drama fan as well) consider it a masterpiece. Nowadays it doesn't seem to have the same status as Torn Curtain or The Trouble with Harry.

I also don't think Marnie qualifies as underrated.

[–] jasonhurd 19 years ago

I find that in general, Hitch's earliest(pre-Rebecca)films are his most underrated, perhaps because a lot of viewers just haven't seen them. Here are my five:

The Man Who Knew Too Much(the first one from 1934, not the Doris Day remake)

Torn Curtain(the "death by gas oven" scene alone qualifies this as a great film)

Murder(a quirky and chilling early work)

Secret Agent(a pleasure to see Hitch and John Gielgud working together)

Sabotage(one that is rarely discussed among Hitch fans, but has several excellent set pieces)

Honorable Mention: The Trouble With Harry. People just don't seem to know how to respond to this strange little black comedy. My advice: forget any preconceptions about a "Hitchcock" film, and just sit back and enjoy.