Mistaken identities were never more thrilling or humorous than this classic partnering of Hitchcock and Grant.

Rating: Null/10 (31 July 2011)

In the world of old Technicolor thrillers, this is one of the good ones. Mistaken identity is the theme of this classic from Alfred Hitchcock. Cary Grant stars as Roger Thornhill, a twice divorced mama's boy who is mistaken for a government agent. The film chronicles his adventures as he runs across the country trying to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. Of course, as in almost every Hitchcock thriller, there is the beautiful blonde distraction. In North by Northwest, Eva Marie Saint is the stunning Eve Kendall. Is Eve just a random girl Roger Thornhill met or does she have hidden motives? Will Roger Thornhill ever clear his name and prove he is not George Kaplan? Will the bad guys win? This movie keeps you entertained throughout all 131 minutes.
Hitchcock use a subjective point of view in his cinematography. An example of this is when Roger Thornhill finds himself trying to escape an auction house. The camera focuses on Roger Thornhill and then to various people in the building before focusing on Roger Thornhill again. This allows you to see their reactions as if you were in the room and were looking around yourself. Roger Thornhill is now a desperate and broken man as a result of this mistaken identity and the camera angles create an emotional bond with him. Every word he speaks is judged by the crowd and you feel their pity or scorn. This type of cinematography seems to be used frequently by Hitchcock and he makes good use of it.
Another technique used by Alfred Hitchcock in this film is use of visible sounds. The sound effects match objects and situations that are on the screen. In the scene leading up to the iconic airplane scene, Roger Thornhill is standing by the side of the road. He looks in the distance and you see and hear a plane. Then he looks to the side and you see and hear a car. This use of sound effects adds to the drama of the film. Is the plane out to get Roger Thornhill or is it the car? Is Thornhill finally going to clear his name or will this just be another situation he has to escape from? Once again Alfred Hitchcock uses the camera to really create an emotional bond with the characters on the screen.
I love Cary Grant's brilliant way of mixing serious and comedic situations. He is the ultimate gentleman with his perfect suit and not a hair out of place while dealing with hilariously impossible situations. Another Cary Grant film I'd recommend with a similar theme is Arsenic and Old Lace.
There are some hidden gems in this film as well. As in all of Hitchcock's films, Alfred Hitchcock makes a cameo. It's always an extra bonus to find the famous director in his films. There is also a hilarious blooper by a young extra in background of the restaurant scene near the end of the film. You may have to watch the scene a few times to find what I'm talking about.
Mistaken identities were never more thrilling or humorous than this classic partnering of Hitchcock and Grant.