Hitchcock Review: North By Northwest

At first, North by Northwest, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant from 1959, has the feeling of "I've seen it before." That's because many moviegoers probably have seen it many times--in other movies since 1959 that were so inspired by it that they put their own spin on it. You feel like you've seen it before because it was the first of its kind, spawning many rehashes, rip-offs, and remakes.

Cary Grant gets abducted under mistaken identity as a secret agent. He gets away but nobody believes him and he alone searches out for the truth. But the truth puts him straight into a secret agent world of death and secrets and he gets blamed for knifing a top official in the United Nations. That scene alone is marvelous because as it enfolds, you shout at the character not to touch the thrown knife. "No! They'll think YOU did it!" That is precisely what the bad guys want, but anyone in that situation would probably act just like Grant does, clutching the man to help, figuring out what this thing is in his back.

Amazingly done throughout the movie is the suspense that this normal man is thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Some of his escapes are just cerebrally cool, as he causes a ruckus at the auction to be taken out by the police instead of taken out back by the bad guys. The scene where the famous biplane tries to chase him down in the middle of a field is the antithesis to noir classics where a dark alley conceals death. The open field is scarier, in that the world is open but there is nowhere to hide. The climax atop Mt. Rushmore is a cinematic gem. You will always remember it when you see pictures. Visiting the monument in 1999, I said to myself, "Look! Cary Grant!"

Go see this movie. I give it my highest possible recommendation and this is one of Hitch's best. I am looking forward to today on the Turner Classic Movie Channel--they are playing 1955's To Catch a Thief, also starring Cary Grant and directed by Hitch. I have never seen it before so I am excited. Also starring is the angel Grace Kelly. Ahh.