its an action movie, a road picture, a romance with espionage thrown in...this is a movie with universal appeal

Rating: 10/10 (15 December 2010)

Alfred Hitchcock has certainly made scarier movies (Psycho, The Birds), and he's made more suspenseful movies (Notorious, Shadow of a doubt), but I don't think he ever made a movie that was as purely entertaining as North by Northwest. What I mean by universal appeal is this; you could put anyone (who likes movies) of any age and sit them down in front of North by Northwest and they will likely enjoy themselves. This movie has something for everyone, it has excellent pacing and sceneryand of course it has the old master at the helm.
North by Northwest certainly doesn't look like it's over 50 years old. That's something that a master like Hitchcock adds to a film; his expert use of lighting, camera positioning and sound give this movie a crispness that defies its age. This adds to that universal appeal I mentioned, alas many movies from the 1950s don't look near as good as North by Northwest. It amazes me how many recent movies have forced me to abort due to inferior camera techniquesexcessive camera movement (this can actually make me dizzy), too many close-ups and weird angles, and poor lighting and editing. Heres the deal; many of todays film directors have NO CLUE how to make a truly watchable and lasting movie...and the bigger problem...most of the dumbed-down audience of today can't tell the difference.
Speaking of masters, does any actor today really carry a movie with such grace as Cary Grant? Grant plays Richard Thornhill in this movie, a wall street exec who has been mistaken for someone else by a group of international Art collectors who are also into espionage (what secrets they are transporting is irrelevantwhat Hitchcock called the 'Mcguffin'). Grant moves through the film with his typical easy charm that maybe today's young actors should study, indeed Cary Grant is a natural and this is a perfect role for his style. Thornhill is befriended by the lovely Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint, also well cast) on the 20th century limited, but Kendall may or may not be what she appears to be.
The story takes us to Chicago where Thornhill is supposed to meet a man at a dusty crossroads in the middle of corn country as (in case you don't know) one of the most famous scenes in movie history unfolds. Eventually we end up at the Mount Rushmore memorial for one of Hitchcock's patented climaxes in or around some famous, exotic locale.
It's a wonderful ride... I think the best test of a classic movie is the test of time. I first saw (and fell in love with) North by Northwest in a hotel room in Utah while on vacation when I was about 15 years old. I've watched it many times since and it always seems fresh. When a master is on the mark it is something to relish a gift from the movie gods.
Hitchcock was once asked what he did for a living to which he replied "producer", when asked what he produced he answered "Goosebumps". Enjoy the ride!
update: -3 thumbs-down and no 'likes'? KISS MY ASS...I'm not wasting my time anymore doing this, the American movie watching (and internet surfing) public of today are a bunch of frkin morons anyway and the only film they know is what is on their teeth