Review of North by Northwest (1959) by James K — 26 Jan 2011

"North By Northwest" has been called the 'first Bond movie.' From start to finish it felt so much like many of the older Sean Connery Bond films - from the wisecracking, womanizing leading man to the deceptive femme fatale.

Yet, despite having the tone, pace, and humor of a Bond film (and I've seen them all), "North By Northwest" entertained me more than most of them; I was shocked how intrigued I still was by a film that used many of the same plot devices that I have seen in other spy thrillers and dramas.

Cary Grant could give Connery's wit a run for its money, and the immortal James Mason and his distinctive voice bring color to every scene he's in. Speaking of voice, the dialogue in this film is priceless - sharp and constantly humorous.

It is set during the Cold War, which only serves to heighten the humorous tone of the film, as this is a story of mistaken identity, deception, and suspicion that some people can't be trusted. There was a lot of that during the Cold War so Hitchcock clearly wanted his audience at the time to laugh at themselves a bit.

"North By Northwest" deserves all of the praise it gets - it's a fun thrill ride that always feels fresh and exciting, even if it seems like we've seen films like it before. This is one of the best films I have ever seen and definitely one of my favorites.