Taking Sides: James Stewart in Hitchcock films vs. Cary Grant in Hitchcock films

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Of course, both are brilliant. But somehow I can't imagine Stewart in, say, "To Catch a Thief," though I can imagine Grant in, say, "Rear Window." Then again, I can't imagine Grant in "Vertigo," though I can imagine Stewart in "Notorious."

Let's discuss!

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

great question. i'm going to chew on this for a while, although i can pretty much imagine grant in any of the stewart roles.

― jody l'anti-vierge (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

Stweart in Notorious would turn it into a comedy!

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

I know it's not Hitch, but I bet you can't imagine them swapping roles in 'The Philadelphia Story'?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:09 (twenty years ago)

i definitely can't imagine cary grant in vertigo - actually, the thought is kinda terrifying!

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:15 (twenty years ago)

10 years of LSD therapy, folks

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

Grant didn't (wouldn't) play as dark as Stewart. OTOH, Stweart in Notorious would turn it into a comedy! is probably true.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

This is easy - Grant is suave and has the sophisticated aire, while Stewart is "every man", somebody's dad or brother, and just wholesome. They are both superb actors. Are there any current day actors who could play the same roles with the same sort of decorum? Whacha think?

― Wiggy (Wiggy), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

would joan fontaine have suspected jimmy stewart of plotting to murder her? i think not!

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:23 (twenty years ago)

OTM J.D., never!

― Wiggy (Wiggy), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

This is easy - Grant is suave and has the sophisticated aire, while Stewart is "every man",

but grant (for all his suaveness) had an "everyman" quality about him too! or at least a '50s-hollywood "man in the grey flannel suit" sense of "everyman."

― jody l'anti-vierge (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:29 (twenty years ago)

I love Cary, but because Roger Thornhill wears his pants way too high in North By Northwest, I gots ta go with Jimmy Stewart (although his creepy bit in Vertigo when he tries to re-make whatshername to look like whatshername and says "it can't matter to ya" still bugs me).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:40 (twenty years ago)

Let's not forget that Hitchcock was the only director who sensed Grant's darkness, and used it to brilliant effect in "Notorious" and "Suspicion." He was also the first director to sense that Archibald Leach had become Cary Grant, and thus could only play roles that parodied/spoofed his image, eg. "North by Northwest," "To Catch A Thief."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:43 (twenty years ago)

Normally I'd say I'm more of a Grant fan but

Rear Window>>Notorious>>Vertigo>>Suspicion>>North by Northwest>>To Catch a Thief

Haven't seen the 2nd 'Man Who Knew Too Much' in a while so I can't really say.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 17 June 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

North By Northwest and Rear Window and Vertigo are all about equally great >>> Notorious >>> Suspicion >>> To Catch A Thief >>> Man Who Knew Too Much >>> Rope.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

Just a reminder, in "Bringing Up Baby" Grant plays a very un-suave dweeb. In a sense, a very Stewart-like role.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:25 (twenty years ago)

i choose both, sorry

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

I don't think Grant would've been as good as Stewart in Rear Window, particularly the moments when expressing fear for Grace Kelly getting caught. Stewart was always better at portraying moments of fear and despair. Plus, Grant was more frenetic, and had that delivery which made him seem to be talking a mile a minute. Wouldn't really suit the part of a man lazily whiling away the hours in a wheelchair in his apartment.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

I don't think either could of done the other's roles frankly (exception I think Stewart could have something interesting with To Catch A Thief and Grant similarly with Rope.)

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:51 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't it the case that the only reason Grant was cast in "North by Northwest" over Stewart was that Hitchcock thought Stewart too old for the role?

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:54 (twenty years ago)

Grant was more frenetic, and had that delivery which made him seem to be talking a mile a minute

Seem? 'His Girl Friday' anybody?

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:54 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, but Stewart might have been too old (looking) for the role in 1952! He was not a particularly fit looking guy.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

"seem" as in even when he wasn't, he seemed like he was.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:56 (twenty years ago)

I love that Stewart was consider too old, but Grant wasn't. HE WAS FOUR YEARS YOUNGER THAN GRANT haha.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 17 June 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)

but george i mean james was born older

― oops (Oops), Friday, 17 June 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

Amateurist OTM.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 17 June 2005 23:33 (twenty years ago)

Wasn't it the case that the only reason Grant was cast in "North by Northwest" over Stewart was that Hitchcock thought Stewart too old for the role?

Probably the bigger reason was that Vertigo, the immediately preceding film starring Stewart, was not a financial success...

Interesting thread. I can definitely picture Stewart in Notorious; can't really see him in To Catch a Thief, though.

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 18 June 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Stewart in To Catch A Thief is insane.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Saturday, 18 June 2005 08:49 (twenty years ago)

seventeen years pass...

He'll shoot your dog because he's coldblooded fucker.

― the dreaded dependent claus (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 16 April 2023 14:59 (three years ago)

Just saw NxNW for the first time and eager to see Catch

― calstars, Sunday, 16 April 2023 15:36 (three years ago)

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