Great fun to watch, if a bit confusing and far-fetched.

Rating: Null/10 (25 January 2000)

This is a great film. Very entertaining to watch, with no real discernible lulls in the action, plenty of suspense and also plenty of witty lines. The famed crop-duster scene and the equally famed climax on Mount Rushmore both create effective tension thanks to the way they are shot and directed by Hitchcock, the great score by Bernard Herrman (Abesent in the first scene but used very well in the latter), and the expressions the actors use. Speaking of actors, Cary Grant is, as always, fine, great with the one-liners and always impeccably dressed. Eva Marie Saint is sexy, though something I can't quite put my finger on is missing from her performance. James Mason and Martin Landau is suitably evil. Nevertheless, there are a few holes. (Spoilers!) I guess a murder of someone from the United Nations would cause a small uproar in New York, but all over the country? Grant certainly is bemused over everything, but only mildly. Wouldn't he be a bit more frightened? Some of it is a bit far-fetched and confusing. (Is The Professor good or bad? If Vandamm survived, then what happened to him? The Mount Rushmore scene is great, but could they really live through it?) Well, I'm quibbling, really, and actually, I guess this only makes the film better, since it keeps you guessing all the time. This is recommended. May very well be one of Hitchcock's best, though I've got to see more of his films to be sure.