An enjoyable thriller

Rating: 8/10 (23 July 2008)

In Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" an advertising executive (Cary Grant) is mistaken for a non-existent government agent and is forced to go on the run following a botched murder and subsequent framing. Along the way he meets an alluring stranger (Eva Marie Saint) but it remains to be seen whether she is friend or foe.
I wasn't bowled over by the storyline, which is pretty standard thriller material. Of course, I'm not much of a fan of thrillers in the first place so you can take my lack of enthusiasm with a grain of salt. Still, it cannot be denied that the plot has several similarities with other, earlier Hitchcock films, making this a sort of 'definitive' Hitchcock film.
The cast is solid with Grant & Saint ably handling the lead roles though it is James Mason as the suave, villainous Phillip Vandamm who gives the most memorable performance. Martin Landau, as Vandamm's right-hand man, is also notable though his role is a minor one. There was one odd bit of casting, though; that of Mrs. Thornhill, who appears to be about the same age as her son. Surely casting could have found someone more appropriate.
Unsurprisingly, the direction is top-notch and there's also a tense Bernard Herrmann score to augment the action. I was surprised that the tone of the film was so sexually suggestive and I grinned when I recognized the connotation of the film's final shot. Sure, it's tame by today's standards but it all seems slightly risqué for '59.
In my opinion this is an enjoyable film though I'm not sure that I'd label it as one of the greats of all time. In any case, it should certainly be seen at least once and then you can make your own decision.