Looking at the disappointing selection of movies currently showing at movie theaters this week, it is best to take a look at a landmark film directed by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The film is North by Northwest (1959).
While not as familiar a title as some of Hitchcock’s other classics such as Psycho, Vertigo, and Rear Window, North by Northwest stands on its own as a brilliant film that has often been imitated, but never duplicated.
North by Northwest stars Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill, an advertising executive who, like many of Hitchcock’s lead characters, is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thornhill is mistakenly identified by a criminal organization as George Kaplan, a mysterious secret agent who always seems to be one step ahead of his pursuers. The case of mistaken identity leads Grant on a coast-to-coast adventure that has him evading both the police and the criminals. Questions come up throughout the film as to whether Thornhill is really who he says he is, and whether or not George Kaplan really exists. The beautiful Eva Marie Saint plays Eve Kendall, a sexy but deceptive woman whose loyalties are in serious doubt throughout the film. The chemistry between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint is explosive, making for one of the best on-screen couples in film history.
With a convincing tone of seriousness, James Mason plays Phillip Vandamm, the leader of the scandalous organization that wants Kaplan dead. Vandamm will stop at nothing to see Kaplan vanquished and his goals of criminal success met.
To give away any more about this movie’s labyrinthine; plot would be a criminal act in itself. The many plot twists and turns that often occur in many landmark films keep viewers guessing and thoroughly engrossed throughout the movie. Memorable scenes include Grant nearly being decapitated by a crop duster, and the movie’s climactic finale on the faces of Mount Rushmore. In fact, the original title for the movie was, believe it or not, The Man in Lincoln’s Nose.
Hitchcock proves that he is truly the master of suspense by shooting every single scene to suspenseful brilliance that keeps the audience on the edge of its seat. This movie clearly is one of Hitchcock’s masterworks, as it combines brilliant performances, tense moments of suspense, a good deal of action, and even some comic relief into one of Hollywood’s greatest films. North by Northwest is truly a classic, and if you have never seen it, a trip to the video store is in order. A+