Honestly, if you look at a Cary Grant filmography list, it’s like staring at the blueprint for what we now call a "movie star." But here’s the thing: Archie Leach—the guy born in a working-class neighborhood in Bristol—didn't just wake up as the debonair icon we see on TCM. He built that persona brick by brick, film by film, over a career that spanned 76 movies.
Most people know the hits. You’ve probably seen the crop duster scene in North by Northwest or heard his fast-talking banter in His Girl Friday. But the sheer volume of his work is staggering. From 1932 to 1966, Grant was basically a one-man industry.
The early years were kinda messy
When Grant first hit Hollywood in the early 30s, the studios didn’t really know what to do with him. He was handsome, sure, but he was playing these stiff, dramatic roles that didn't let his natural wit shine. Look at Blonde Venus (1932) with Marlene Dietrich. He’s good, but he’s not Cary Grant yet.
It wasn't until 1937 that everything changed. This was the year of The Awful Truth. If you're looking through a Cary Grant filmography list, mark this as the turning point. This is where he mastered the "screwball" style. He learned how to be funny without losing his dignity—or at least, how to lose his dignity in the most charming way possible.
The Hitchcock connection
You can't talk about Grant without mentioning Alfred Hitchcock. They made four movies together, and honestly, they might be the best things either of them ever did.
- Suspicion (1941): This was the first one. Grant plays a guy who might—or might not—be trying to kill his wife. It was a huge risk for his image.
- Notorious (1946): This is arguably his best dramatic performance. The chemistry with Ingrid Bergman is legendary.
- To Catch a Thief (1955): A heist movie in the French Riviera. This is peak "suave" Grant.
- North by Northwest (1959): The definitive spy thriller. It basically invented the James Bond template.
Hitchcock once said Grant was the only actor he ever truly loved working with. That’s high praise from a guy who usually treated actors like cattle.
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The movies you probably missed
While everyone talks about the big ones, there are some deep cuts in the Cary Grant filmography list that deserve more love. Take Only Angels Have Wings (1939). He plays a gritty pilot in South America. No tuxedos. Just sweat and leather jackets. It shows a range that most people forget he had.
Then there’s Penny Serenade (1941). It’s a total tear-jerker. Grant actually got an Oscar nomination for it. He never won a competitive Academy Award, which is still one of the biggest snubs in Hollywood history. He eventually got an honorary one in 1970, but we all know he should've had a shelf full of them.
Why he walked away
Grant retired in 1966 after Walk, Don't Run. He was 62. He could have kept going—Hitchcock actually tried to get him for Torn Curtain—but he was done. He had a daughter, Jennifer, and he wanted to be a dad. Plus, he was terrified of looking "old" on screen. He saw a silent film star he admired age poorly in a later movie and vowed never to let that happen to himself.
He spent his final years as a businessman, serving on the board of Fabergé. He was also one of the first actors to go "indie" by negotiating his own contracts instead of being tied to a single studio. He was a smart guy. Sorta the original entrepreneur-actor.
The Essential Cary Grant Filmography List
If you're looking to binge-watch, don't just start at the top. Mix it up. Here is a curated look at the roles that actually defined him, categorized by the "vibe" of the movie.
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The Screwball Masterpieces
These are the films where Grant is basically a human cartoon in a tailored suit. High energy, incredible timing, and lots of yelling.
- The Awful Truth (1937)
- Bringing Up Baby (1938) – He plays a nerd with a leopard. It’s chaotic.
- His Girl Friday (1940) – The dialogue is so fast you might need subtitles.
- The Philadelphia Story (1940) – He holds his own against Jimmy Stewart and Katharine Hepburn.
The Darker Side
If you think he was just a "pretty face," these movies will prove you wrong. He could be mean, cynical, and genuinely scary.
- Suspicion (1941)
- None but the Lonely Heart (1944) – His second Oscar nomination. Very grim.
- Notorious (1946)
- Crisis (1950) – He plays a brain surgeon caught in a revolution.
The "Debonair" Era
The 1950s and 60s were all about the silver-haired, perfectly tanned version of Grant.
- An Affair to Remember (1957) – Bring tissues. Seriously.
- Houseboat (1958) – Fun fact: he was actually having a real-life affair with Sophia Loren during filming.
- Charade (1963) – Often called "the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made."
- Father Goose (1964) – He plays a grumpy, unshaven drunk. It was one of his personal favorites.
Action and Adventure
He wasn't an "action star" in the modern sense, but he did his fair share of running around.
- Gunga Din (1939) – A massive epic.
- Destination Tokyo (1943) – A submarine movie that actually influenced real WWII sailors.
- North by Northwest (1959)
What people get wrong about his career
A lot of folks think Grant was just playing himself. Even he joked about it, saying, "Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant." But that "natural" charm was a highly technical performance. He was a trained acrobat. He knew exactly how to move his body to get a laugh or create tension.
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He also struggled with his identity for years. He famously experimented with LSD in the late 50s and early 60s—long before it was a hippie thing—to try and "find" himself. He credits those sessions with helping him finally feel comfortable in his own skin. It’s a wild detail that doesn't fit the "perfect gentleman" image, but it's true.
Real-world impact of his work
If you look at the Cary Grant filmography list, you’re looking at the evolution of the romantic comedy. Every "meet-cute" in a modern movie owes a debt to Grant and Irene Dunne or Grant and Rosalind Russell. He also changed the business. By becoming a freelance actor in the mid-30s, he broke the "studio system" power, allowing actors to have more control over their careers.
How to start your own marathon
If you’ve never seen a Cary Grant movie, don’t start with his first one from 1932. It’s too dated.
- Start with North by Northwest. It feels modern, the stakes are high, and the suit is perfect.
- Move to His Girl Friday. Test your brain's ability to keep up with the dialogue.
- Watch The Philadelphia Story. It’s the gold standard for romantic ensembles.
- Finish with Charade. It’s a perfect "sunset" movie for his career.
Grant died in 1986, but his influence is everywhere. You see it in George Clooney, in Jon Hamm, and in basically every leading man who tries to be funny and handsome at the same time. He was the original.
If you're serious about cinema, print out a full Cary Grant filmography list and start checking them off. You’ll find that even his "bad" movies are better than most of the stuff coming out today because he was always, 100% of the time, interesting to watch.
The next step is simple: pick one of the four "starter" movies mentioned above and watch it tonight. Pay attention to his eyes—the way he reacts to other actors is where the real magic happens. After that, you'll probably find yourself digging into the deeper, weirder parts of his career, like his turn as the Mock Turtle in the 1933 version of Alice in Wonderland. Yes, that actually happened.