My favorite movie!

Rating: Null/10 (23 January 2002)

This movie is my favorite movie ever. I have seen it over twenty times, own a copy on video, and I never grow tired of seeing it. Ernest Lehman wrote an impeccable script, and the soundtrack of the film drew me into the movie music of its composer, Bernard Herrmann, who is a god, I think, officially. Grant and Mason are wonderful, and who could resist hearing their famous voices together in the same film. I love the way James Mason says, "Rapid City, South Da-ko-ta." The dialogue is quite funny. Hitchcock creates several great scenes besides the Mount Rushmore and the famous cropdusting scenes. For instance, the scene in which Roger Thornhill and his mother are on the elevator with Van Damme's henchmen, who are out to kill him. Only Hitchcock could make this so superbly. As the elevator descends, the music grows more intense and suspenseful, until the breaking point, at which Roger's mother says "You gentlemen aren't really trying to kill my son, are you?" To which the henchmen respond with side-splitting laughter, and are echoed by all the people on the elevator, including Roger's mother (played splendidly by Jessye Royce Landis), who laughs loudest of all.

The house which Van Damme resides in at the end is quite architecturally unique, as much as the house in Glen Cove is elegant and done quite well. There are some character actors in this film who will remind you of other roles they had, like the guy who played "Chief" in the hit series, "Get Smart," or the guy who plays one of the henchmen, who was the psychiatrist in a movie about a character played by Anthony Perkins who had a mental breakdown.
I admire Martin Landau's work in this film, and think he is severely underrated. Thank goodness he got some recognition for "Ed Wood." The trick of rubbing a pad and paper to find out an address as employed by Thornhill in the hotel room amazed me as a kid. Notice Thornhill (Grant) whistles "Singin' in the Rain" when he pretends to shower. Also, notice Hitchcock's cameo at the beginning when the titles are being displayed, he walks up to a bus door right as it is being closed, and as he walks forward, his title, "Directed by Alfred Hitchcock," disappears horizontally, left-to-right.
This movie is best watched from the very beginning before Leo the Lion's roar, while eating coconut cake (with 3 layers and real coconut, not angel flake). I really have tried it that way, several times.
The panic scene that ensues after the real Mr. Townsend is knifed by one of Van Damme's henchmen in the United Nations Building is great cinematography. The ladies standing up, in shock, the photographer, the person saying, "He's got a knife," and Thornhill's protestations of innocence go together to make a great scene. I am reminded of the panic scene near the beginning of Hitchcock's "Saboteur," in which the munitions plant begins burning down. You watch "Saboteur," and you'll see what I mean.
Eva Marie Saint is gorgeous in this and I wish I had been around back then in the wonderful fifties. Her red colored dress is particularly beautiful. All the dialogue in the love scenes is great, and of course, Hermann's musical number, "Conversation Piece," is quite good. I have the soundtrack on CD.
Of all the lines in the film, I like this one the best "Did you know you overplay your various roles, Mr. Kaplan? First you're the typical Madison Avenue man accused of a crime you know you didn't commit, now you're the peevish lover, stung by jealousy and betrayal." It goes something like that, and is spoken by Van Damme (James Mason).