Review of North by Northwest (1959) by Trevor L — 29 Dec 2010

Mistaken for a man who does not exist, Ad man Roger Thornhill (Grant) must venture from New York to Mount Rushmore to track down a vast conspiracy and clear his name for a framed murder and save the girl (Saint), who may be more than she appears.

From beginning to start, the film is a whirlwind of action and intrigue which helps when asked to follow Thornhill on his adventures. Hitchcock is and always will be known as a master of intrigue, which is no more apparent than when Thornhill is being chased by two henchmen on an elevator; until the moment is given levity/paranoia when Thornhill's mother (Huthchinson) asks them if they're really going to kill him. Hitchcock makes Thornhill a man against the world: being chased by every police officer from New York to South Dakota. On the acting front, Grant is a master at playing the charming leading man, being an average Joe thrown into an extraordinary situation. Grant makes Thornhill into a belivable protagonist, always trying to explain the situation but no one believes him. James Mason playing the sinister Phillip VanDamme is a treat, subtly conveying his authority without seeming too over-the-top.