This article contains spoilers for the movies discussed.Among the most important filmmakers of all time,Alfred Hitchcockwas a pioneer of horror, thriller, and noir, who made dozens of classics across a multi-decade career. His plots tend to be archetypal, with heroes up against conniving villains. At the same time, his antagonists are unusually complex for the era, with motivations that generally run deeper than simple evil. At times, Hitchcock’s baddies are even sympathetic and frequently more charismatic than the protagonist.
Hitchcock’s villains are subtle, whip-smart, and determined, hiding their ill intentions behind an unassuming facade. They’re a treat to watch, whether it’s the smiling Uncle Charlie or the glowering Mrs. Danvers. As a result, a few of them have earned spots in the horror pantheon and deeply influenced later generations of directors. From Professor Jordan to Norman Bates,these are the Master of Suspense’s finest villains.
10Professor Jordan (Godfrey Tearle)
‘The 39 Steps’ (1935)
“Oh, Mr. Hannay, why have you come here? Why have you forced me into this difficult position?” This quintessentially Hitchcockian tale sees the innocent Richard Hannay (Robert Donat)racing to clear his name after wrongfully being accused of murder. He finds himself up against Professor Jordan (Godfrey Tearle), the head of the titular spy organization.
Jordan is a formidable adversary, cold, cunning, and skilled at spycraft.He presents an amiable facade, even to Hannay, and has many friends in high places, making him even more dangerous. In a scene that foreshadowsPsycho, Jordan even shoots Hannay, leaving viewers to assume for a shocking moment that the protagonist is dead. While not as polished as some of the thrillers that were to follow,The 39 Stepsis a key entry in its director’s filmography. It features many of his trademark elements, like a MacGuffin and, of course, a cameo by Hitchcock himself.The icy-cold Jordan also hints at the more iconic antagonists of Hitch’s later work.
The 39 Steps
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9Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains)
‘Notorious’ (1946)
“Many things have died for all of us. We mustn’t let our spirit die with them.” Hitchcock fuses romance and suspense in this spy noir, notably castingtwo Hollywood icons against type.Ingrid Bergmanplays Alicia, a captivating woman with a complicated history, recruited by the intelligence agent Devlin (Cary Grant) to spy for the U.S. However, Alicia’s devotion to Devlin is challenged when she discovers her mission: to seduce Nazi fugitive Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains) in South America.
Sebastian is certainly loathsome, but Rains plays the villain with impressive depth. He’s nuanced, with some positive, even admirable, traits and can be sympathetic at times. After all, rather than being sadistic, Sebastian is driven by fear of what his Nazis comrades will do to him if they find out he has married an American spy. This makes him all the more compelling as an antagonist.
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8Bruno Antony (Robert Walker)
‘Strangers On A Train’ (1951)
“Each fellow does the other fellow’s murder. Then there’s nothing to connect them.” This thriller follows the chance encounter between tennis player Guy Haines (Farley Granger) and the enigmatic Bruno Antony (Robert Walker) on a train journey. Bruno proposes a twisted plan to exchange murders: Bruno will kill Guy’s unfaithful wife if Guy murders Bruno’s overbearing father. Initially dismissing Bruno’s suggestion as mere jest, Guy soon realizes the gravity of the situation when Bruno carries out his end of the bargain, leaving Guy embroiled in a web of deceit and danger.
Bruno’s character is a fascinating study in psychopathy,his charismatic exterior masking a disturbed mind.He stands out with his unsettling fixation on Guy and his eerie ability to manipulate situations to his advantage. Walker does a lot of heavy lifting here, and his performance is key to the movie’s success.He succeeds in making Bruno believable, which keeps the entire plot grounded. His acting is complemented by the cinematography, with Hitchcock usually framing him in gloom and shadow.
Strangers on a Train
A psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other’s most-hated person.
7Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten)
‘Shadow Of A Doubt’ (1943)
“The world’s a hell. What does it matter what happens in it?” Charlotte “Charlie” Newton (Teresa Wright) lives in sunny Santa Rose, California, with her family. However, her peaceful life is disrupted when her uncle, Charlie (Joseph Cotten), comes to stay. On the surface, he seems lovely, but Charlotte begins to suspect that he is the infamous “Merry Widow” killer. She finds herself in grave danger when her uncle learns that she knows his secret.
The plot is a little over-the-top, but in Hitchcock’s skilled hands, it doesn’t matter. He keeps audiences hooked with ever-ratcheting tension and brisk storytelling. Crucially,Cotten turns ina towering villainous performance, oscillating between affable warmth and unnerving menace. He has one especially memorable scene where he has dinner with Charlotte, and his true colors bleed through for a moment. It makes for a mature and thrilling portrait of the darkness that can fester within families. When asked about the movie’s central theme,Hitchcock responded: “Love and good order is no defense against evil.”
Shadow of a Doubt
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6The Birds
‘The Birds’ (1963)
“They’re coming!” Set in the quaint coastal town of Bodega Bay, California,The Birdsrevolves around an epidemic of avian aggression. The plot centers on socialite Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), who, along with the other residents, must contend with the increasingly bloody bird attacks. As the assaults intensify, tensions rise, revealing the fragility of society when confronted with primal forces beyond its control.
Most of Hitchcock’s villains are complex and calculating, butthe birds are the complete opposite,a force of nature and pure instinct, unleashing mayhem without rhyme or reason. The director brings these winged demons to life with innovative special effects and clever editing, resulting in several striking scenes. In particular, the scene where a murder of crows descends on a playground is creepy and unsettling in a way that’s hard to put a finger on. There’s just something profoundlywrongwith the image.
5Tony Wendice (Ray Milland)
‘Dial M For Murder’ (1954)
“People don’t commit murder on credit.” Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) is a former professional tennis player whose lavish lifestyle is threatened when he discovers his wife Margot (Grace Kelly) is having an affair with crime novelist Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings). Fueled by jealousy and greed, Tony orchestrates a plot to murder his wife and inherit her wealth. He hires an old acquaintance to carry out the deed, planning the perfect crime, but his carefully laid plans unravel as unforeseen events force him to adapt.
Dial M for Murderis intriguing in that the villain is also the main character.Once again, the baddie is surprisingly relatable, in large part due to Milland’s charisma. It’s also hard not to admire his resourcefulness, even if his intentions remain reprehensible. The dynamic between Milland and Kelly is a treat to watch, with both actors at the top of their game. In short, whileDial M for Murdermay not be a masterpiece, it’s stillan enjoyable, clever, and witty ridewith twists aplenty and one of Hitchcock’s most devastatingly charming villains.Tony is loathsome yet entrancing, with Milland delivering one of his strongest performances.
4Phillip Vandamm (Hames Mason)
‘North By Northwest’ (1959)
“That wasn’t very sporting, using real bullets.” One of the finest spy films ever made,North by Northwestfocuses on adman Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), who is mistaken for a government agent and pursued across the country by spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) and his legions of henchmen. Along the way, Thornhill bonds with actual secret agent Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint).
Vandamm takes the character of the shadow spymaster to new heights with an unparalleled capacity for deception and cruelty.Equal parts suave and sinister, Vandamm ranks among the most magnetic villains ever. He looks like James Bond, but he’s Blofeld to the core, and when he finally receives his comeuppance, it’s a pure delight. Visually masterful and entertainingly unpredictable,North by Northwestexerted a massive influence on cinema. Its ideas have been borrowed not just by the Bond franchise but by movies as varied asRaiders of the Lost ArkandRomancing the Stone.
North By Northwest
3Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr)
‘Rear Window’ (1954)
“Say something! Tell me what you want!“James Stewartstars as L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies, a photographer recuperating from a broken leg. With nothing but time on his hands, Jeff becomes engrossed in observing his neighbors through his rear window, forming speculative narratives about their lives. However, his voyeuristic pastime takes a dark turn when he becomes convinced that his neighbor, Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr), has murdered his wife.
Thorwald’s ominous actions and erratic behavior fuelJeff’s growing paranoia. As the tension mounts, Jeff finds himself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Thorwald, culminating in a heart-pounding climax. All the while,Burr’s nuanced, intense performance keeps the audience guessing as to his true nature. Hitchcock holds the viewer, like Jeff, at a distance from Thorwald, which only makes him more intimidating. Burr walks a delicate line between ominous menace and detached stoicism, makingRear Windowa smashing success.
Rear Window
2Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson)
‘Rebecca’ (1940)
“Go ahead. Jump. He never loved you, so why go on living?” An unnamed young woman (Joan Fontaine) marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier). But as she settles into her new role as the mistress of the Manderley estate, she finds herself constantly overshadowed by the lingering presence of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca. Much of this unsettling atmosphere is orchestrated by Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), Manderley’s mysterious housekeeper.
Mrs. Danvers is a layered and sinister figure, haunting the halls of Manderley like the meanest ghost. Her manipulative tactics and obsessive devotion to the deceased Rebecca drive the tension of the film, as she subtly undermines the new Mrs. de Winter at every turn, pushing her to the brink of despair. Anderson embodies the character’s hatred right down to the dark, almost reptilian look in her eyes. It’s a phenomenal performance and Anderson’slack of an Oscar win was a major snub.
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1Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins)
‘Psycho’ (1960)
“We all go a little mad sometimes.“When it comes to Hitchcock’s best villain, it’s hard to make a case for anyone other than Norman Bates(Anthony Perkins), a character that practically reshaped psychological horror.Psychostarts off focusing on Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a young woman who steals a large sum of money and seeks refuge at the secluded Bates Motel. There, she encounters the seemingly shy and mild-mannered Norman. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Norman’s persona masks a deeply disturbed psyche, one influenced by his domineering mother.
Psycho’s impact cannot be overstated. Hundreds of movies have since emulated its blueprint, although few can quite captureits grim potency. A key part of the movie’s enduring appeal is the antagonist, who is easily one of the most iconic and influential villains in the history of horror.Norman is disturbing yet curiously charming, with Perkins effortlessly balancing both sentiments. It’s a remarkable portrayal of mental illness that was not only groundbreaking for its time but remains impactful today. Norman Bates is a cinematic icon, an unforgettable villain whose chilling smile is engraved in the mind of every film lover.
