Production Year: 1959 - Thriller - Director: Alfred Hitchcock - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Cary Grant, James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau, Josephine Hutchinson, Jessie Royce Landis, Philip Ober more
NORTH BY NORTHWEST is a suspense thriller that finds Cary Grant in the role of Roger Thornhill, a Manhattan advertising executive mistaken for a spy. Considered by many to be the... more
Hollywood studio,North by Northwestis positioned between the much heavier and more profoundly disturbingVertigo(1958) and the stark horror ofPsycho(1960). In the co...
Hollywood studio,North by Northwestis positioned between the much heavier and more profoundly disturbingVertigo(1958) and the stark horror ofPsycho(1960). In the co...
with Hitchcock for the fourth and final time in this superlative espionage caper judged one of the American Film Institute's Top 100 American Films and spruced up wi...
All our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll We offer *** WORLDWIDE *** Delivery!, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
North By Northwest
NORTH BY NORTHWEST is a suspense thriller that finds Cary Grant in the role of Roger ... more
Thornhill, a Manhattan advertising executive mistaken for a spy. Considered by many to be the prototypical pure action movie (creating the template for later James Bond and Indiana Jones films), the film is a cross-country roller-coaster ride with Alfred Hitchcock at the helm. The film is duly famous for several classic and indelible scenes, including the desert biplane encounter and the Mt. Rushmore climax. The original title was THE MAN IN LINCOLN'S NOSE, which was replaced by a reference to a line from William Shakespeare's HAMLET (in which Hamlet says, I am but mad north-north-west.). The magical combination of Hitchcock and the debonair Grant--who made four wonderful films together--makes NORTH BY NORTHWEST a suspense-filled standout.When Thornhill finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the world as he knows it comes to an end. Suddenly danger threatens as the hapless businessman is targeted as an American intelligence agent and set up as a killer. All of Thornhill's attempts to straighten things out only make matters worse--and soon the desperate man is on the run from murderous foreign operatives, the CIA, and the police. The supporting cast, including Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, and Martin Landau, is uniformly excellent.
North By Northwest
Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is not a spy. And he's certainly no murderer. Nevertheless, ... more
Thornhill's a wanted man: enemy agents want him dead, the police want him arrested, and a cool, mysterious blonde (Eva Marie Saint) just plain wants him. A victim of mistaken identity, Thornhill can't afford to make any mistakes of his own - so he embarks on a death-defying run for his life. Relentlessly pursued by plane, train and automobile, Thornhill's cross-country chase finally ends atop Mt. Rushmore where, if he doesn't watch his step, he could be in for a terrible fall. Nominated for three 1959 Academy Awards Alfred Hitchcock's 'North By Northwest' is a masterful blend of suspense and romance, one of the best and most thrilling movie adventures ever created.
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Allow up to 14 Days for delivery as item is manufactured to order. Your poster is laminated and mounted on High Quality Float Frame resulting in a fine piece of Art for your enjoyment. A modern and popular alternative to framing a poster which also makes an ideal gift. Process is irreversible please see our help information for further details., Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
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A review by ruth_cole on North By Northwest (DVD) December 29th, 2004
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Outstanding
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Standard
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
endless
Disadvantages:
nahhhh
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Every year there is one film, along with The Great Escape and The Sound of Music, that is guaranteed to make my Radio Times highlighted list of "things I will watch this Christmas" (because obviously I need to see the other two for the 1,283rd time). That film is North By Northwest. And yet every year I would somehow manage to tune in 45 minutes after the start of the film and in my Allen-esque way, refuse to watch the rest (it's incomprehensible by then anyway). A hangover, a DVD and a year later, and having seen and loved it, this year... I tuned in right on time. :)
Hitchcock's suspense/romantic comedy/drama is a film deserving of its classic masterpiece status. A case of mistaken identity casts Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) into a maelstrom of enforced drunkenness, cropdusting, mysterious ice queens and Mount Rushmore. The mastermind behind the plot is the shadowy Van Damm (James Mason with his eerie sidekick Leonard portrayed creepily by Martin Landau) and the Hitchcock blonde is the elusive Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint). (I'm behaving myself, so I won't quote "Rattlesnakes" here).
Arguably Cary Grant's finest hour, this is one of his most natural, charming and cool performances - think Charade with a steel edge. The beleaguered advertising exec he portrays is a sharp cookie but a human one. He veers from steely defiance to comedy double-takes and smooth one-liners with effortless grace (not to mention his touching attachment to his good ol' Mother...).
Eva Marie Saint's frail appearance may not have the glamour of a gorgeous Grace Kelly or the sexy shuffle of a Kim Novak (no prizes for guessing Rear Window and Vertigo are old favourites) but she has the acting ability of both of them put together and she invests Eve Kendall with a great deal of panache and just the right amount of vulnerable cracks in the Teflon veneer. As an aside, like Grant, she looks effortlessly stylish and very much the height of 50s cool, beautifully coiffed and tailored.
Supporting performances, especially Mason with a smoothly intoxicating delivery, are solid and admirable. But this being Hitchcock, the visuals are as great a part of the action as the people draped elegantly over them. From the deceptively simple opening credits (giving way to a beautifully distorted opening shot and the trademark Hitch cameo) to the gorgeous sweeping shots of the cropdusting scene and the stomach churningly vertiginous views of Mount Rushmore's famous facade. Finally, the strong humour of the script (onto that in a moment) is underpinned by Hitchcock's cheeky (and at the time shocking) innuendo (just watch the train). I love films that include train sequences anyway... it's by far the most civilised way to travel.
The lightning wit of Ernest Lehman's script is yet another building block in this sumptuous architecture. The one-liners, the effortlessly sexy banter, the daft asides - all are endlessly gripping and entertaining, and surprisingly economical for such a long and complex film. There's also a wonderful vein of daftness that even the machinations of the most eccentric Bond villain never topped; why shoot a man alone in a remote area when you can send a crop duster after him? :P
The final piece of the puzzle after performance, words and pictures is of course sound. The score is beyond brilliant, its cracking pacy drama a perfect complement and certainly one for my OST wishlist. I can just imagine being tempted to speed to it in the car. ;)
The down side for me to writing about films like these is that the less said, the better. It does mean you're spared much more ramble, though. The DVD has a reasonable collection of extras including a decent 40 minute making-of documentary, an audio commentary from Lehman and the excellent idea of showcasing Bernard Hermann's incredible score by providing a music-only Audio Track. Lehman's Droopy Dog voice hangs languidly over the action and is quite hilarious... he adds nothing new but his commentary ramble is so wryly likeable that it's very enjoyable ("I assume I'm addressing an audience that's seen the film..."). The documentary is hosted by Eva Marie Saint and includes appearances from Lehman and Martin Landau, and is a slick and interesting enough tribute to Hitch and NBNW in particular. Nothing hugely new, but a decent time-passer. There's also the usual trailer as well as a production stills gallery, so it's a fairly generous package if not a groundbreaking one.
Certificate PG Runtime 131 mins
And the title of my op? Well. How could I resist a quote from the film (which was also a nod to a good friend) married to a Wonderstuff song title?
Advantages: Great story, direction, screenplay, very entertaining Disadvantages: Not as original or thought-provoking as some of Hitchcock's others
North By Northwest is, at number 23 on the IMDB's greatest films list, one of Alfred Hitchcock's most enduringly popular movies. Made in 1959, it stars Cary Grant as a suave advertising exec fleeing from the police after being caught in the middle of a CIA undercover operation, even though Grant was about 55 years old when it was made!
He plays Roger Thornhill, an average kind of guy, albeit with a very well paid job and his own personal secretary. ... ...shake a stick at.
North by Northwest may not be such an original, thought-provoking film as some of Hitchcock's other classics, like Vertigo or Rear Window, but it sure is entertaining! Boasting some of cinema's most memorable action scenes, such as the fantastic corn-field plane attack and the thrilling shootout atop Mount Rushmore, plus plenty of twists and turns as I already mentioned, this film is one of the most ceaselessly gripping and enjoyable ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: A perfect piece of film making Disadvantages: none
...his journey that takes him North by Northwest is about to prove him very, very, wrong.
Hitchcock directs as a man at one with his material, for the opposite effect try and sit through the leaden 'Topaz' or 'Torn Curtain'. His creativity and visual flair is apparent in every single scene. His handling of the comedy, romance, suspense and action shows what a master of the silver screen he was, at eae with any material and a superb technician. His ... ...we are treated to a mix of glass paintings, studio sets recreating locations, false perspectives, back projection, there wasn't a single element of film making that he couldn't utilise to enhance his movies. The man knew film making inside out, and a four picture run of 'Vertigo', 'North by Northwest', 'Pyscho' and 'The Birds' cemented his already lofty status as a master behind the camera.
Hitch is aided no end by the script and screenplay of Ernest ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: The first of the great Hollywood Thrillers..with all the frills.. Disadvantages: Tame for modern audiences
...wanted to see more.
North by Northwest (1959)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
131 minutes
Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau
The plot has holes so gaping you could fly a crop duster through:
The Plot (if you can suspend your belief):
Grant stars as Roger Thornhill, a Maddison Avenue advertising exec. Through a case of mistaken identity, he is believed to be a secret agent for the government, who just happens to ... ...movie polls that are released. North By Northwest however is THE first extravagant, technicolour thriller which would’ve shaken viewers by their lapels on the big screen. From the suave hero who is phased by nothing, the sinister villain, the beautiful girl, thunderous music, the humour and exotic location: this film has it all. In fact, Albert Broccoli based his James Bond screen adaptation on this film and picked Sean Connery for the role due to ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Read the title Disadvantages: Don't be silly!
...on the big screen.
North By Northwest epitomises this notion. It lifts you out of yourself and throws you up on to the screen. There is no moral to this story, no message; it is just pure entertainment. Alfred Hitchcock (and please tell me you knew that he was the director of this film) is known as the "Master of Suspense", and it is into this category that the film must fall. However, it is also a comedy, a romance, a spy movie, and a thriller. ... ...back when action meant more than violence.
Roger O. Thornhill (when asked, he says the O stands for "Nothing") is a busy advertising executive. He is handsome, suave and sophisticated, which is probably why Cary Grant plays him. While meeting some business sponsors over drinks in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, New York, Thornhill unwittingly becomes the victim of mistaken identity and is escorted outside and into a waiting limousine by a couple of ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Cary Grant and decent soundtrack Disadvantages: Long, drawn out, boring, over-rated.
In my opinion, this film is highly over-rated. Yes, my Ciao name is carygrant, and yes, I LOVE Cary Grant. But if he weren't in this film, I wouldn't watch it again. As it is, I have watched it zillions of times because Cary Grant looks absolutely georgeous in it. And that includes twice on the big screen. Each time I see it I TRY to like it more, but it just hasn't grown on me.
So why am I not a huge fan of this film? Is it because I don't like ... ...of The Town, Penny Serenade, Suspicion (until *that* last scene), None But The Lonely Heart etc. Is it because I don't like Hitchcock films? No. I thoroughly enjoy the rest of the films that Hitchcock made with Cary - Notorious, Suspicion and To Catch a Thief....and many other Hitchcock films also rate highly with me (Psycho, Rear Window and Dial M for Murder to name my favourites). So what is it? This film bores me. It is average and nothing more ...
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Advantages: good mtv spoof, music video Disadvantages: dull movie, too many 'Tom is great' featurettes
...a lot on what must be things that can be displayed in fine detail. One thing that's driven across again though is that Tom Cruise is great-everyone loves him on the set and he's great. Yeah thanks for that now what about the stunts ?
The Metallica music video for 'I Disappear' is also included and featreus the band in some action segements such as driving cars at high speed, a take on 'NorthByNorthwest' and Lars Ulrich jumping out of a building. It's a great track and a great video. It's one of the reasons I have the dvd.
Next up is an alterantive titles sequence that runs for anout 45 seconds and is very pointless. There isn't much difference between this and the final titles. Still it's nice to have a look I suppose.
The real gem on this dvd is an MTV spoof called 'Mission Improbable'. This was done for the MTV Movie Awards...
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Consumer Advice: Contains mild violence and sex references
Video Category: Feature Film
Country Of Origin: United States of America
Plot: Hitchcock's first thriller for MGM in which a businessman is mistaken for a spy. He is pursued by enemy agents because he knows too much. Includes the original theatrical trailer.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST is a suspense thriller that finds Cary Grant in the role of Roger Thornhill, a Manhattan advertising executive mistaken for a spy. Considered by many to be the prototypical pure action movie (creating the template for later James Bond and Indiana Jones films), the film is a cross-country roller-coaster ride with Alfred Hitchcock at the helm. The film is duly famous for several classic and indelible scenes, including the desert biplane encounter and the Mt. Rushmore climax. The original title was THE MAN IN LINCOLN'S NOSE, which was replaced by a reference to a line from William Shakespeare's HAMLET (in which Hamlet says, "I am but mad north-north-west."). The magical combination of Hitchcock and the debonair Grant--who made four wonderful films together--makes NORTH BY NORTHWEST a suspense-filled standout. When Thornhill finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the world as he knows it comes to an end. Suddenly danger threatens as the hapless businessman is targeted as an American intelligence agent and set up as a killer. All of Thornhill's attempts to straighten things out only make matters worse--and soon the desperate man is on the run from murderous foreign operatives, the CIA, and the police. The supporting cast, including Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, and Martin Landau, is uniformly excellent.
Special Features: TV Spot, Trailer, Still Gallery, Audio Commentary, Destination Hitchcock, The Making Of, Music Only Track
Aspect Ratio: 1.78 Wide Screen, Full Frame
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Mono
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English Mono French
Professional reviews
Review: "...NORTH BY NORTHWEST is sequence after sequence of breathlessly exciting and amusing entertainment..." -- 5 out of 5 stars (Total Film, p.86, 01/03/2000)
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