Definition of excellence

Rating: 10/10 (30 March 2012)

I first heard about this film as I was attempting to watch the top 1000 movies of all time last Summer. I was apprehensive at first only because of the year made and the title was not appealing. After seeing that Alfred Hitchcock directed it, I was a bit relieved. Why do I think this is the greatest film of all time? (a) The plot is solid (b) The cinematography is eye candy (c) Not one hesitation in action. As I am watching the film I notice that every action sequence was original and therefore copied by every action film after 1959. Cary Grant dominates every seen. The dialog is brilliantly written and it's safe to say, no action film will ever come close to topping North by Northwest.