Alfred Hitchcock: Ranking His Movies From Worst To Best

9. Marnie (1964)

marnie hitchcock Everyone seems to hate Marnie. I don't - it is my favourite Hitchcock film but if I had put it at number one I don't think it would have gone down well. Marnie has a reputation as a bad Hitchcock film. Starring Tippi Hedren as a troubled young woman who is a serial thief and who hates men, the colour red and thunderstorms, Sean Connery knows about her thieving and blackmails her into marrying him. Unfortunately, she is also frigid and the film must unravel the terrible childhood events that left Marnie so psychologically traumatised in the first place. There are many instances of silliness in the film - such as the zooming in and out of money in the safe, the horse riding scenes, and obvious painted backdrops. The fade to red sequences leave a lot to be desired. The editing is amateurish and a lot of the dialogue very stilted. However, this is one of Hitchcock's better psychological dramas. Tippi Hedren doesn't put a foot wrong in her role and Sean Connery does his best in a confusing role that demands he go to and fro from nasty rough handed bastard to Mr Kindness and consideration. Bernard Hermann's score is thrilling and captures the different tones of the movie perfectly.
Contributor
Contributor

My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!