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Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason Alfred Hitchcock had an incredible career making films, producing some of the greatest movies of all time and establishing himself as the peerless luminary of the suspense genre. Beginning in Britain, he eventually made his way to Hollywood where his career really took off, and his films became staples of film culture. In addition to being one of the most entertaining filmmakers, Hitch also demonstrated an incredibly sophisticated understanding of the medium, redefining the use of sound and creating new ideas about spectatorship. He was also one of the first directors able to successfully market himself as a box office draw, in a time before the constant media coverage on entertainment shows and twenty four hour networks. North by Northwest is one of Hitch’s most exciting and easily accessible ventures, combining humor, suspense and action with natural finesse. Hitch regular Cary Grant plays Roger Thornhill, an immature businessman who lives a life of excess and play. He soon finds himself caught up in a bizarre conspiracy, tangled in an intricate web of subterfuge and cold war anxiety. As he manages to stumble his way through numerous traps and encounters, a government agency takes interest in him and recruits him in their struggle against Thornhill’s tormenter. Grant plays the role of Thornhill with the perfect amount of self-deprecating humor and genuine panic for his situation, coming off as both likeable and aloof. The requisite Hitchcock blonde is played by Eva Maria Saint, who gives her character a fun sexuality and charm, but is also able to conceal her character’s true identity through the earlier parts of the film while not coming off as overly artificial. James Mason plays Vandamm, the man behind the conspiracy targeting Thornhill (or as Vandamm knows him, Kaplan). Mason brings a cool sense of class to his character, equal to the greatest Bond villain. North by Northwest is a film of many layers despite its popcorn like ability to entertain. Hitch continues to explore his attitude towards women, embracing the sometimes hilariously Freudian relationship between Thornhill and his mother with a good sense of humor and self-awareness. He is also able to fit in a subtle commentary on the enigmatic and inaccessible structure of the intelligence infrastructure, and its role in fighting the cold war. The action sequences in the film are legendary. The crop duster trying to chase down Grant and the final struggle on the face of Mount Rushmore are pop culture icons, each referenced a countless number of times in other films and other mediums. Hitch’s Russian-influenced editing style helps aid the action with brilliant excitement, most famously in the final scene of the film. The music by longtime collaborator Bernard Hermann is full of energy and helps drive the action to fantastic heights. North by Northwest is a great film on many levels, but at its best, it is the most fun one can have watching a movie. The excitement of the film is contagious, and it would be hard to avoid getting pulled in to the briskly paced adventure. Hitch is at the top of his game here, providing a film of a rare breed.
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May 3, 2004 06:13
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 05:55 |
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My least favorite Hitchcock movie. Overall, it seems a bit too ridiculous and convoluted, and the final scene on top of Mount Rushmore had me rolling my eyes at the campiness of it all. You should still see it though, for the fabulous directing and cinematography.
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May 3, 2004 06:16
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I agree with much of what has been said in the origional post. That said, I believe North by Northwest is a fan-flippin-tastic film! The most common complaint that I read about this film is that it is too unrealistic, well, thats kind of the point. Hitchcock defined drama as "Life with the dull bits cut out", why would the bad guys get Thornhill drunk and try to send him over a cliff instead of shooting him? Why would you send a crop duster to kill Thornhill instead of shooting him? Why would you send an attractive blonde to seduce then betray him, instead of shooting him? Why would you find yourself escaping on Mt. Rushmore instead of climbing over a wall? Why? BECAUSE IT'S FUN TO WATCH! 4.5/5
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Jul 29, 2004 17:04
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I like North by Northwest, but Hitchcock has done the accidently spy/hero thing before a few times. I like this one the best because they (the actual organization) actually decide to bring him in. It's sort of like an accidental James Bond. I mostly agree with everything in the first post. If you haven't seen NbN and don't mind movies with implausable areas then you should check out this movie because even though it has its share of faults it holds up really well and the DVD transfer was done very well and upholds a high quality compared to a lot of other old movie to DVD transfers. I'd say 4/5 A good rental just for all of the famous scenes and a great buy for film students and Hitchcock fans. An Ounce of Gold fucked around with this message at 20:48 on Jul 29, 2004 |
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Jul 29, 2004 20:29
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