Hitchcock Movies: Jimmy Stewart vs Cary Grant

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Which movies do you prefer?


Grant:

Suspicion
Notorious
To Catch A Thief
North By Northwest

Stewart:

Rope
Rear Window
Vertigo
The Man Who Knew Too Much



Victim of The Night
Hard to say for Hitchcock specifically. I just like Carey Grant.



Which movies do you prefer?
Cary Grant:
Suspicion
Notorious
To Catch A Thief
North By Northwest

James Stewart:
Rope
Rear Window
Vertigo
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Stewart was horribly miscast in Rope, but nailed it in the other three.

Grant was good in all of those.



While on average I prefer Stewart's films, there's something about Notorious (and the way Grant was used in it) that sways me a bit that way.

My favorite Stewart output are his Westerns.



Interesting question. When I think of either of them, it's more like old Hollywood icons than as actors. As actors neither of them morph into a character, both are Stewart or Grant putting on a costume and adopting dialog. It's THEM that was the character. I think, back then, people expected that more than a chameleon-like actor. It's like how John Wayne was always John Wayne.

Personally, I preferred Jimmy Stewart's gangling look and staccato speech more than Grant's mild British speech. Stewart had more of an everyman demeanor and nobody would describe him as being suave.

The Rear Window is really a favorite of mine, Stewart doing his usual character, but this time with a broken leg and a camera.



My ranking...

STEWART - Vertigo
STEWART - Rear Window
GRANT - Notorious
GRANT - North by Northwest
STEWART - Rope
GRANT - To Catch a Thief
GRANT - Suspicion


Still haven't seen The Man Who Knew Too Much remake, but I guess Stewart gets it for me.
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Movie Forums Squirrel Jumper
I'd say I like Grant better as an actor, but Stewart has been in the better Hitchcock movies overall.



Well, I love both actors immensely but James Stewart is my favorite overall actor of all-time, so I'm gonna say, um, Stewart!
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I'm gonna go with Grant. When I see Stewart in trouble, I just want people to leave grandpa alone.



Grant could easily play a cad or a devil. Stewart really couldn't. Stewart could play an affable, sincere and honorable guy, whereas that was a stretch for Grant.


I think the way Hitchcock used both actors gives a good indication of their respective strengths.