Among the other lesser-known gems in the set are Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Marnie (1964), The Man Who Knew Too Much (a 1956 remake of Hitchcock’s own 1934 film), and Frenzy (1972). Shadow of a Doubt has always stood out to me because of the relatability of the family situation depicted. Charlie (Teresa Wright) is a teenage girl who has always looked up to her uncle, also named Charlie (Joseph Cotten). She’s devastated when she begins to suspect he’s not the man she thought he was. This story kind of sneaks up on you, and it's hard not to feel sorry for the teenage Charlie's loss of someone she loved. Marnie stars Tippi Hedren in the title role, along with Sean Connery. Marnie is a thief with an irrational fear of men. When she marries a rich businessman (Connery), dark secrets from her past threaten to unravel their relationship. Marnie is an intriguing psychological thriller that isn't afraid to explore some dark themes.
The remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much stars James Stewart (clearly a Hitchcock favorite) and Doris Day as a vacationing couple who are unwittingly told about a political assassination that’s in the works. The couple's son is kidnapped in order to keep them from going to the authorities. It's an enjoyable film, with fine performances from Stewart and Day, whose performance of the Oscar-winning song "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" is featured in the film.
Hitchcock's 1972 film Frenzy is notable because of the influence of modern filmmaking on Hitchcock's style. It’s also Hitchcock’s only film to earn an R rating (the MPAA ratings system only came to be in 1968). This is a sort of a slasher film about a serial killer terrorizing the streets of London. The killer doesn't actually slash his victims; he strangles them with a necktie after raping them. The film has decidedly more explicit themes than some of his earlier work. Unfortunately, some of his typically creative storytelling is sacrificed in favor of a more conventional approach to a thriller.
Rounding out the set are five films that vary in terms of entertainment value and are more likely to be embraced more exclusively by Hitchcock diehards. These films aren’t as memorable, often somewhat lacking in storytelling craft. Saboteur (1942) gets off to a good start with the fiery death of a man at a factory. His best friend (Robert Cummings) is framed for the murder and sets off on a quest to clear his name. Unfortunately, the plot is not all that exciting and the motivations of the bad guys are too general. They want to cause harm to the United States, and gain power, by blowing stuff up. The film lacks the cleverness of Hitchcock's best work.
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