Alfred Hitchcock's Once Upon A Dreadful Time by Alfred Hitchcock

Talmadge Powells “A Family Affair” is about a family adept at working together to kill a nasty stepfather. In “Suspicion is Not Enough”, a wily sheriff manages to trip up a crazy crab trapper suspected of murdering someone. “The Safe Street”, by Paul Eiden, has two corrupt businessmen finding the perfect way to dispose of the man who can expose their crimes.įrom Robert Arthur (the secret editor of this and many other Hitchcock anthologies) comes “No One on the Line”, in which a jealous husband plots to kill his wife’s lover-but does he even have the right man? In “Antiques”, from Hal Ellson, we learn why it’s a bad idea to steal from old ladies with dementia. In Gilbert Ralston’s “A Little Push from Cappy Fleers”, a loyal handyman makes sure his famous actor boss’s marriage stays intact, by any means required. A LOT of great names this time, so no surprise that it’s one of the best of these Hitchcock anthologies. Even as movies hardened in the ’70s after the collapse of the Hays Code, Hitchcock gleefully followed suit, concluding his career with sordid, cynical takes on his formula in Frenzy and Family Plot.This one came out in ’64, and has stories ranging from ’58 to ’63. 1948’s Rope was his first color film, and what followed seemed an endless beloved parade of wrong men, guilty women, and nefarious murderous plots: Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, The Birds, and on and on. When color became the movie standard, he ascended to the Master of Suspense mantle that will become his enduring legacy.

And yet Hitch was only just getting started.

He started in the 1920s during the silent era ( The Lodger), transitioned to sound when many of his peers and actors could not ( The 39 Steps), and came to America at the height of Hollywood’s Golden Age (Best Picture-winning Rebecca). As director, Hitchcock withstood every significant upheaval of the industry and, in fact, seemed to flourish with each transition. Watching the movies Alfred Hitchcock made over his five-decade career is not only a thrilling way to spend your free time, but doubles as a legitimate lesson in the history and development of cinema. (Photo by Universal) Alfred Hitchcock Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Alfred Hitchcock's Once Upon A Dreadful Time by Alfred Hitchcock