It’s true that Alfred Hitchcock was behind many of the very best classic thrillers, but this famed filmmaker was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to edge-of-your-seat stories of mystery and suspense. The best Hitchcock thrillers include classics like Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, and Vertigo, yet it’s important not to forget about the other outstanding directors who have made similarly nail-bitingly intense films.

Whether it was shocking black-and-white stories, all-time great film noirs, or darkly hilarious black comedies, the thriller genre encompᴀsses many different styles of moviemaking. Some classic thrillers have endured so well in the public consciousness that they’ve actually coined everyday terms that are still in common use today. While the thriller genre remains as popular as ever, Alfred Hitchcock fans looking for something new to check out should familiarize themselves with these fantastic releases from times gone by.

10

Gaslight (1944)

Directed by George Cukor

Few classic thrillers have had more enduring cultural relevance than Gaslight, the psychological thriller whose 1938 play was actually where the term ‘gaslighting’ comes from in the first place. With a first-rate performance from Ingrid Bergman as Paula Alquist Anton, Gaslight saw this young woman being subtly manipulated by her husband into believing that she’s going insane. With a surprisingly dark story for a 1940s thriller, Bergman managed to capture the deep mental anguish of a woman questioning her own sanity.

The paranoia and confusion of Gaslight stood in stark contrast to the wholesome depiction of marriage in most productions from this era. As the story of a woman trapped in a domestic nightmare, Gaslight highlighted the way that women could be undermined and controlled within the societal construct that was supposed to offer them security. Bergman’s performance was so impressive that she even earned the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Gaslight.

9

The Ladykillers (1955)

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick

While the average viewer might think of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars when they hear the name Alec Guinness, those with a love for old Ealing comedies will think of the outrageous comedic thriller The Ladykillers. As a hilarious farce that has not lost any of its power 70 years later, Guinness played Professor Marcus, the sinister criminal who rented a room from an eccentric elderly woman under the guise of practicing classical music.

However, what the old lady didn’t realize was that Marcus was plotting an ingenious heist, and she would unwittingly become ᴀssociated with a crime of epic proportions. As a slow-burn thriller that was peppered with some hilarious comedy, The Ladykillers was packed with oddball characters and a unique sense of charm. While modern viewers may know the Coen brothers’ 2004 remake with Tom Hanks, the original still stands supreme.

8

Cape Fear (1962)

Directed by J. Lee Thompson

Cape Fear was one of the most intense psychological thrillers of the 1960s, as it blended the stylish aesthetic of film noirs with a truly terrifying story of a deranged killer. Although Martin Scorsese made an excellent remake in the 1990s with Robert De Niro as the murderous Max Cady, Robert Mitchum’s outstanding performance in the original was still the definitive version of this character. This story involved a deranged ex-convict attempting to enact his revenge against the attorney (Gregory Peck), whom he deemed responsible for his imprisonment.

There was a darkness to Cape Fear that made it stand out, and its implied hints of a history of aggressive Sєxual ᴀssault from Cady made him a villain the likes of which audiences at the time seldom encountered. Mitchum has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the best actors of all time, and this was in no small part due to roles such as Cape Fear.

7

What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)

Directed by Robert Aldrich

Longtime Hollywood rivals Bette Davis and Joan Crawford channeled their intense feud with one another to play embittered siblings in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? This intense psychological thriller tells the story of a jealous sister and the resentment she carried for decades on end. With Davis as the former child star Jane Hudson and Crawford as the wheelchair-bound Blanche, there was a terrifying sense of darkness to this unique domestic story.

As two of the biggest stars of their era, it was exciting to see Davis and Crawford share the screen as two older women with a wealth of Hollywood history behind them. The way Davis played up the campy grotesqueness of Jane, who succumbed to years of alcoholism and deep-festering resentment, was a masterclass in commitment. The background behind What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was so interesting in and of itself that it served as the basis for Ryan Murphy’s 2017 miniseries Feud.

6

In A Lonely Place (1950)

Directed by Nicholas Ray

Hollywood icon Humphrey Bogart may be best known for iconic roles in Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, although his most unnerving performance came with In a Lonely Place. As the troubled screenwriter Dixon Steele, Bogart tapped into his dark side to play a troubled and controlling man who becomes worryingly obsessed with the gorgeous young woman Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame.)

As the romance between Dixon and Laurel starts to deepen, the darkness behind his twisted psychological state starts to come to the forefront. With themes of domestic violence and fragile masculinity, In a Lonely Place was a powerful thriller that perfectly adapted the original novel by Dorothy B. Hughes. While viewers swooned over Bogart in other romance pictures, In a Lonely Place showcased his darker, more sinister side.

5

Witness For The Prosecution (1957)

Directed by Billy Wilder

As a blend of comedy, film noir, and nail-biting thriller, Witness for the Prosecution was a legal mystery that hooked viewers from start to finish. As a tense courtroom drama about a barrister defending his client in a murder trial, one shocking surprise after another made for truly edge-of-your-seat viewing. Coming from filmmaking extraordinaire Billy Wilder, Witness for the Prosecution was nominated for an outstanding seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.

With an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Witness for the Prosecution powerfully adapted the original short story and play by Agatha Christie and stands alongside the likes of Murder on the Orient Express as some of her best work. With a wife testifying in court against her own husband, Witness for the Prosecution was so exciting that a voiceover announcement at the end of the film asked audience members to promise not to reveal its twist to anyone.

4

Double Indemnity (1944)

Directed by Billy Wilder

Double Indemnity was one of the most acclaimed films of the classic Hollywood era and an outstanding film noir from director Billy Wilder. As the perfect blend of dark crime story and intense thriller, Double Indemnity tells the story of an insurance salesman plotting with a woman to kill her husband. The idea behind this murderous plan was to take the payout for themselves and take advantage of a legal loophole.

Not only has Double Indemnity been remembered as an all-time great film noir, but many would rank it among the best movies ever made. The exploration of dark themes related to insurance fraud and complex character motivations meant Double Indemnity earned seven nominations at the Academy Awards and boasts an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes today.

3

The Third Man (1949)

Directed by Carol Reed

The Third Man has earned its reputation as one of the greatest British movies of all time, as it remains as captivating today as it was back in 1949. Coming from director Carol Reed and with a screenplay by the novelist Graham Greene, a German expressionist influence was noticeable in its effective black and white cinematography. With Orson Welles counted among its cast, the exquisite use of lighting, camera angles, and effective music made for thrilling viewing.

Joseph Cotten played Holly Martins, who wishes to learn the truth after their friend Harry Lime (Welles) mysteriously dies. However, on a trip to Vienna, Cotten is shocked to witness his friend alive and well and sets out to uncover the truth of this deception. As a masterpiece of its era, The Third Man perfectly captured the troubled atmosphere of post-WWII Europe as well as the cynicism at the beginning of the Cold War.

2

The Wages Of Fear (1953)

Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot

While Alfred Hitchcock is known as the master of suspense, even he would be jealous of the nail-biting intensity of The Wages of Fear. As the story of four down-on-their-luck Europeans hired by an American company to drive trucks filled with nitroglycerin needed to extinguish an oil well fire, the stakes were incredibly high as the men put their lives on the line. As a hugely influential movie that informed modern releases like Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, The Wages of Fear stands as director Henri-Georges Clouzot’s magnum opus.

As a highly original and shocking French melodrama, The Wages of Fear was a shocking display of disenfranchised men’s lowly place in modern society. As much a social critique as it was an edge-of-your-seat narrative, The Wages of Fear was a clever thriller that actually had something interesting to say.

1

The Night Of The Hunter (1955)

Directed by Charles Laughton

While Alfred Hitchcock may be remembered as the king of thrillers, this story could have been different had Charles Laughton not been forced to end his filmmaking career due to the failure of his lone feature film, The Night of the Hunter. As an intense black-and-white thriller that was misunderstood and rejected by audiences at the time, today it stands as one of the most intense and acclaimed films of its era. Starring Robert Mitchum as a cunning serial killer pursuing two children to steal $10,000 from their late father, his role as preacher Harry Powell was truly iconic.

The Night of the Hunter was a masterpiece of the thriller genre that was an early example of the kind of transgressive cinema that would become popular in Hollywood during the 1970s. As a movie just a few decades ahead of its time, looking back, it’s clear that Mitchum gave one of the most unnerving and eerie performances of the decade. The Night of the Hunter was a trailblazing movie that nobody recognized at the time, and fans of Alfred Hitchcock’s dark thrillers should do themselves a favor and check it out.