Great film

Rating: Null/10 (10 July 2007)

North By Northwest is one of the greatest films ever made in any genre. It's a perfect blend of comedy and thriller.
The plot of mistaken identity is one that Hitchcock used repeatedly in his films. In this film, James Mason and his henchmen mistake Cary Grant for a secret agent. They abduct him, grill him and when he maintains his position that he doesn't know what they are talking about, they pour a bottle of scotch down him, put him behind the wheel of a stolen car and send him on his way down a winding cliff road assuming that he'll be killed when the car runs off the cliff. It doesn't and for the rest of the film Grant is forced to be on the run both from the police and Mason's gang.
Along the way he meets Eva Marie Saint on a train. Always fond of beautiful blonds, Hitchcock picked a doozy in Saint. She's absolutely gorgeous. The dialog in the seduction scene on the train between Saint and Grant has to be one of the most direct ever filmed up to its time. Once again, Hitchcock pushed the envelope for what could be done on film.
The film features the justly famous crop duster airplane scene where Grant is chased in an open field. This film was the inspiration for the helicopter chase in the James Bond film From Russia With Love.
The end of the film takes place on Mount Rushmore. Not actually Mount Rushmore because the park would not consent to actual filming on the monument. So Hitchcock had a giant set built and used matte paintings. The effect was, for its time, astounding and it still is impressive today even against all the CGI effects.
As usual, Hitchcock gives layer upon layer to this film. Notice the titles which are projected on the side of a skyscraper and the angles from which it is filmed so the everything is on the diagonal. This diagonal motif is repeated constantly throughout the film in virtually every scene. Once you notice it you will not be able to ignore it, from the direction people walk, to traffic, to the angle at which rooms are filmed. It is not accidental and it reinforces the visual idea of the film which is always supposed to be headed in the same direction.
Cary Grant shows why he was a movies star with his looks, personality, acting and his ability for being able to deliver both comic and serious scenes. James Mason, one of the world's greatest actors, is terrific as the villain.
North By Northwest is one of the handful of films that deserve to be called great and it's a film that can be seen many times with new enjoyment and understanding on each viewing.
A must see.