Grant and Hitchcock's best collaboration

Rating: 9/10 (10 May 2010)

Cary Grant is just so darn charming! In everything he does, he creates a memorable character, but none of his roles are better than the ones he has when he works with the great Alfred Hitchcock. North by Northwest is arguably Grant's best role, as well as one of the best from Hitch. It is a case of mistaken identity that leads Roger O. Thornhill, played by Grant, from Manhattan all the way to Mount Rushmore. Two goons are lead to believe that he is a Mr. Kaplan, and this mistake leads Thornhill to a meeting at the United Nations where he is framed for murder.
Besides the leading man, the best part of this film is the engaging script. The story came out of a few interesting ideas that Hitchcock wanted to use for a film. A screenwriter was hired to put the scenes together, which is how we get this film that moves quickly and travels through major monuments of the country. In spite of all the fantastic settings, I consider the scene at the auction to be one of the most impressive scenes in the film. Thornhill confronts the villain, Phillip Vandamm, in which neither of them can fight.
Eva Marie Saint does a great job as Thornhill's romantic interest with a secret, Eve Kendall. She is a classic Hitchcock female foil, with blond hair and an icy stare. Even before her identity is revealed, the audience senses that she is more than just a woman sitting at a table on a train. The sexual tension between Thornhill and Kendall is palpable in every scene, which makes the finale all the more climactic.
I highly recommend this film to anyone. It has action, romance, suspense and humor and is crafted by arguably one of the greatest directors of all time.