North by Northwest-1959
Director Alfred Hitchcock
Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint
Top 100 Films #26
Scott’s Review #90
Reviewed July 3, 2014
Grade: A
North by Northwest is a 1959 Alfred Hitchcock film, released during the heyday of its famous director (1950s and 1960s).
It is considered one of his most commercially successful films. It is mainstream fare that contains all the elements of a great Hitchcock film: adventure, intrigue, romance, and suspense.
Unlike in some of his other films, his characters are straightforward and not psychologically wounded, as in some of his others. This is not a slight but merely makes the film “for the masses.”
Charismatic Cary Grant plays the role of successful advertising executive Roger Thornhill. He works in bustling New York City, has a secretary, and is well respected in his circle.
While enjoying drinks at the club the evening before a planned trip to the theater, he becomes a victim of mistaken identity—thought to be George Kaplan- and is accosted by henchmen to a lavish Glen Cove, Long Island mansion.
After a botched attempt on his life, he is arrested and ultimately must race across the United States on the lam to find the real George Kaplan.
The incredible locales range from New York City to Long Island, Indiana, Chicago, and Mount Rushmore.
The film is exciting from start to finish, never letting up, and features a common theme of Hitchcock’s- an “everyman” falsely accused of a crime attempts to prove his innocence.
It differs from some Hitchcock films in that there is not as much psychological analysis of the characters but rather a good, old-fashioned adventure story with many twists and turns.
In many ways, North by Northwest is a precursor to the enormously popular James Bond films, as Grant brought style, sexiness, and charisma to this sleek feature.
The set style and design look perfect. The lush Long Island estate set is flawless, with a grand staircase and a well-constructed library—not to mention the exterior shot of the enormous house.
The house in Mount Rushmore is sleek, quite trendy, and reeks of high sophistication. It is pretty grand and propped on an incline, containing an airplane runway.
The chemistry between Grant and Eva Marie Saint is apparent and oozes from the screen from the moment they bump into each other on a train traveling from New York to Chicago. As they dine in the dining car a flirtatious scene-the landscape whizzes by in the background, the comforting train whistle and background noise work well.
Their relationship is established, and the characters are intrigued and slightly mistrustful of each other, which gives the scene an edge and complexities that work.
The film features a cutting-edge graphic design in the opening credits, similar to Vertigo’s design in the same period. The green colors and the sophisticated advertising style of the graphics kick the film off in a creative, ultra-cool, modern way.
Interestingly, Martin Landau’s implied homosexuality in Leonard, henchman to the main villain, Phillip Vandamm, is precisely how Landau played the role. During Hitchcock’s time, homosexuality was strictly prohibited in the film but subtly shone through.
Leonard’s fascination and jealousy towards Vandamm have levels of flirtation and vengefulness intertwined.
Scene after scene of North By Northwest is filled with suspense—the crop duster scene is my favorite. Shot without music and on location in a dreary, clear, middle-of-nowhere field somewhere in Indiana, it is layered with suspense throughout this very long scene.
Thornhill is scheduled to meet Kaplan at a designated spot. A lonely bus stop, random passing cars thought to be the intended, a deadly airplane, and an explosion all occur, creating a fraught scene.
New fans of Hitchcock should begin with this one—it is mainstream and one of his finest. It contains all the traditional Hitchcock elements, and all the pieces come together perfectly.
North By Northwest (1959) is a masterpiece.
Oscar Nominations: Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Best Art Direction, Color, Best Film Editing
