fun to see again

Rating: 8/10 (28 August 2006)

The greatness of North by Northwest may be measured in part by its imitators. Two of my favorite movies, both made since 1959, are "Silver Streak" and "The Sting". Both were very popular movies that borrowed heavily from it. It is easy to look back now, see the scenes with Cary Grant on the train, and say " I've seen this before". Sure, in "Silver Streak", which had Gene Wilder and Jill Clayburgh trading sexual innuendos across the dinner table ("I give great phone" was one line) just as Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint did. Or to watch the climactic gun battle between Robert Redford and Paul Newman in "The Sting" and have the same reaction. Both of these movies, made in the 70's, were big hits, but how many people knew that Hitchcock deserved half the credit?
As I watched this movie again (hadn't seen it for a long time), I was also struck by Martin Landau's understated but captivating performance. Based on his work in this film, he would have been just right for the part of Mr Spock in Star Trek, a role that Gene Rodenberry wanted him to take. Cool and emotionless playing next to James Mason, one can definitely see the Spock in him.