If you grew up in one country but now live in a different country, you will sometimes run into the problem of not knowing if you have watched a certain movie or read a specific book. Why? Because the titles are not always a direct translation of the original.
Let’s say, “Spellbound” by Alfred Hitchcock is showing on TV or you find it on youTube. You have seen many Hitchcock movies but most of them in German. There is no film you recall watching that was called “Gebannt” or “Verzaubert” which would be the translation of the word ‘spellbound’. You start watching and have to realize you have indeed seen this movie before. It’s just that the German title was “Ich kämpfe um dich” – I fight for you.
I had this problem a lot with Agatha Christie and Martha Grimes mysteries, and had to print a list of the titles and mark off what I had read.
But back to Alfred Hitchcock movies. Luckily, many of his films have German titles that are exact translations or at least very close ones. I have compiled a list of most of his movies listing the original title and the German one as well as where you can watch it. Sometimes it’s free, sometimes it’s not.
I have also made a YouTube playlist with Hitchcock movies in English and German. There are other websites or streaming services that you can use to watch his movies. Not all movies are available but some might also be worth purchasing. I have included some links to Amazon for streaming, buying or renting.
Hitchcock Movie Titles in English and German
The 1920s
- The Pleasure Garden (1925) – Irrgarten der Leidenschaft
- The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) – US title: The Case of Jonathan Drew – Der Mieter, watch on dailymotion (buy on amazon )
- The Mountain Eagle (1927) – Der Bergadler (lost film)
- The Ring (1927) – Der Weltmeister
- Downhill (1927) – Abwärts, stream here
- Farmer’s Wife (1928) – Die Frau des Farmers, watch it here
- Easy Virtue (1928) – Leichtlebig
- Champagne (1928) – Champagner, watch it here
- The Manxman (1929) – Der Mann von der Insel Man, watch it on dailymotion
- Blackmail (1929) – Erpressung, watch it here
The 1930s
- Juno and the Paycock (1930) – no German title
- Elstree Calling (1930) – no German title, Hitchcock was one of four directors
- Murder! (1930) – Mord-Sir John greift ein!, watch it on dailymotion or here
- The Skin Game (1931) – Bis aufs Messer, watch it on dailymotion or here
- Mary (1931). This is the German version filmed with German actors of the English movie Murder!, watch in German on youtube
- Rich and Strange (1931) – US title: East of Shanghai – Endlich sind wir reich, watch it here
- Number Seventeen (1932) – Nummer siebzehn, watch it on dailymotion
- Waltzes from Vienna (1934) – US title: Strauss’ Great Waltz / The Strauss Waltz – no German title, watch it here
- The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) -Der Mann, der zuviel wusste, watch it on dailymotion and youtube, or here
- The 39 Steps (1935) – Die 39 Stufen, watch it on dailymotion and on youtube. Watch it in German on youtube
- Secret Agent (1936) – Geheimagent, watch it on dailymotion and youtube
- Sabotage (1936) – US title: The Woman Alone – Sabotage, watch it on Tubi, dailymotion. Watch it in German on youtube.
- Young and Innocent (1937) – US title: The Girl was young – Jung und unschuldig, watch it here
- The Lady Vanishes (1938) – Eine Dame verschwindet, watch it on dailymotion
- Jamaica Inn (1939) – Riff-Piraten, watch it on youtube. Watch it in German on youtube.
The 1940s
- Rebecca (1940) – Rebecca, watch it in German on youtube
- Foreign Correspondent (1940) – Der Auslandskorrespondent, auch Mord, watch it on HBO Max
- Mr. & Mrs Smith (1941) – Mr & Mrs Smith
- Suspicion (1941) – Verdacht, watch it here
- Saboteur (1942) – Saboteure, watch it here
- Shadow of a doubt (1943) – Im Schatten des Zweifels, stream it here
- Lifeboat (1944) – Das Rettungsboot, watch it here
- Spellbound (1945) – Ich kämpfe um dich, watch it on youtube. Watch it in German on youtube.
- Notorious (1946) – Berüchtigt; auch Weißes Gift, watch it on dailymotion and youtube
- The Paradine Case (1947) – Der Fall Paradin; auch Schuldig oder nicht schuldig?, watch it here
- Rope (1948) – Cocktail für eine Leiche, watch it here
- Under Capricorn (1949) – Sklavin des Herzens, watch it on dailymotion and on youtube
The 1950s
- Stage Fright (1950) – Die rote Lola, watch it here
- Strangers on a Train (1951) – Der Fremde im Zug; auch Verschwörung im Nordexpress, watch it here
- I confess (1953) – Ich beichte; auch Zum Schweigen verurteilt, watch it here
- Dial M for Murder (1954) – Bei Anruf Mord, watch it here
- Rear Window (1954) – Das Fenster zum Hof, watch it here
- To Catch a Thief (1955) – Über den Dächern von Nizza, watch it here
- The trouble with Harry (1955) – Immer Ärger mit Harry, watch it on youtube or here
- The Man who knew too much (1956) – Der Mann, der zuviel wusste, watch it here
- The wrong man (1956) – Der falsche Mann, watch it here
- Vertigo (1958) – Vertigo- Aus dem Reich der Toten
- North by Northwest (1959) – Der unsichtbare Dritte), watch it here
The 1960s and 1970s
- Psycho (1960) – Psycho, watch it here
- The Birds (1963) – Die Vögel, watch it here
- Marnie (1964) – Marnie, watch it here
- Torn Curtain (1966) – Der zerrissene Vorhang, watch it here
- Topas (1969) – Topaz
- Frenzy (1969) – Frenzy, watch it here. Watch it in German on youtube.
- Family Plot (1976) – Familiengrab, watch it here
