Wheez's Vintage Movie of the Week- North by Northwest

I’m going to start out by being honest… I don’t think North by Northwest is that great (collect yourself…. Good.)  I’ll now qualify that statement by saying it’s not great by today’s standards.  However, for its time, it clearly was a masterpiece as elements of the film can be found in the bedrock of today’s action/thrillers.  Much like Citizen Kane, North by Northwest should be viewed with the restraints of its era in mind.  If you watch it through that perspective, you’ll be awed, if you watch it through a modern perspective, you’ll be entertained, but not blown away.

The story is excellent.  It carefully crafts a mystery, thriller of government and international intrigue that is full of action, some suspense, and comedy.  I say some suspense due to a pet peeve of mine that is prevalent in films of this era:  talking out the plot.  The film does a great job of not letting on to what’s happening early on until, finally, it gives in and has a government alphabet soup agency meeting in which someone dryly states all the painful exposition.  It’s actually pretty comical because the character is literally saying exactly what everyone in the room commonly knows.  I couldn’t help but think of Basil Exposition in Austin Powers.  However, the film avoids prolonging the exposition as it blurts all or most of it out in that one scene, which makes the rest of the film enjoyable, but not too suspenseful because we already know what to expect. This is what kills it a little for me- being on the edge of your seat results from not knowing what to expect and, well, you know what to expect.

That aside, the story is fabulous and parts of it have been parodied and copied in films over the past fifty years.  Some of the more memorable scenes include a dive-bombing crop duster and a suspenseful chase down Mount Rushmore.  More impressive, Alfred Hitchcock and writer Ernest Lehman are way ahead of their time on how to construct the storyline for a mystery/thriller.  The film masterfully navigates twists and turns to keep the audience hooked while also progressing the story and not losing the audience.  It sets up crossing and double-crossing characters.  It makes us question if the lead character is crazy or everyone around him is.  It does what a good action/thriller should do.

Further, the film mixes in some relevant themes of the time.  Being a government thriller from the late 1950’s, the Cold War is involved in the storyline. Further, the film  uses the traces of the Cold War in the film to question how far is too far when it comes to war- a theme that is definitely still applicable today.

The film has a distinct Hitchcock feel as well, even though it’s not a typical Hitchcock genre.  The directorial style mirrors other Hitchcock films, but doesn’t rival the direction of his better films, such as Psycho.  The acting for me is hot and cold.  There are scenes that are excellent and very well acted.  However, there are other times when the film cuts back and forth between actors in a conversation, who appear to be reading off cue cards.  Cary Grant is a classic actor, but in this film he really bombs some scenes.  While some scenes are great (like when he acts like a dopey drunk), in other scenes, he seems to rely solely on his accent to present charm and he doesn’t put much into his performance other than saying the lines he memorized (or is reading).

North by Northwest is a classic film and groundbreaking for its time.  It’s not Hitchcock’s greatest, but it’s still an entertaining Hitchcock film, and that says something.  It’s both a great trip back in time to the foundations of modern filmmaking as well as an entertaining film to watch in your living room.  It’s a must see for film enthusiasts, but is closer to just another film for the casual movie viewer (especially for younger viewers).  Either way, it’s a classic and is worth checking out.

If you like this, check out:  Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (Special Edition) or Strangers on a Train

Scale: 

1-  Lots of Better Movies at Blockbuster   

2-  Might Be Worth Renting If You’re Bored

3-  Rent It When You Get to It

4-  A Must Rent, at some point

5-  Put It in Your Queue NOW!

My Rating: 3.5

Buy North by Northwest (50th Anniversary Edition)