Many of the films that are considered Hitchcock’s worst were made in his early years as a director.
Many of the films that are considered Hitchcock’s worst were made in his early years as a director. One could argue — as some critics have — that the reason for this is that he had yet to master his craft. The few Hitchcock movies released in the late ’60s and ’70s — including “Torn Curtain,” “Topaz,” and “Family Plot” — are also considered to be lesser works. By then, Hitchcock, who was born in 1899, was himself in his 60s and 70s and may have had trouble adjusting to a changing Hollywood that was giving up-and-coming actors more creative control over their work.