I'm Not a Hitchcock Fan, but this I like

Rating: 10/10 (16 August 2001)

After years of recommendation, I finally watched NXNW. Over the years I have seen four other Hitchcock films-- "Psycho" (it felt 30 minutes too long), "Rear Window" (it felt at LEAST 30 minutes too long), "Shadow of a Doubt" (loved it), and "Vertigo" (2 hours, felt like it was six). After a track record like that, I began to think that either a) Years of watching films from the 1980's and -90's has ruined me, or b) Hitchcock isn't nearly as brilliant as some people seem to think he is. Turns out-- big surprise-- it's a mixture of both.
"Vertigo" was very stylish (in parts), but I don't think it holds up, as the story is told much too slowly to make me care. With "North by Northwest" I was pulled in right from the very beginning-- the writing was wonderful. Plot structure and many of the one-liners were too much fun to watch and hear, and with the exception of some cleverly-used 1959 special effects, this screenplay could be remade today, as written, if only because Cary Grant can't open a film anymore (although with a script this great, it wouldn't really matter who the lead was).
Whereas I marveled at screenwriter Lehman's work every few minutes, and Hitchcock's work only every 30 minutes or so, this is still an extremely watchable film and I loved every second of it. It's almost enough to finally make me a Hitchcock fan... but I think I'll check out some Lehman films first.