Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.68

A benchmark in the action/adventure genre, crafted by one of cinema's masters.

I remembered next no to nothing from this film, apart from its iconic final sequence. It is therefore that I'm still reeling from being transported 50 years back and being swept along on this tale of mistaken identity, romance and espionage.

Hitchcock is of course know as the master of suspense, yet this is perhaps his least suspenseful film. It is, on the other hand, a very exciting adventure filled with the easy charm, class and simplicity of days gone by. I love the fact that practically from the get go, Hitchcock gives us one up on his protagonist. He understands…

Part of the Alfred Hitchcock Sound Era Films In Chronological Order project.

I love it when a film becomes so well loved and has had so much written about it that discussions about piffling and largely unimportant elements of the film become major topics of debate.

For instance, people still debate what the title means. There are those that insist it is a Hamlet reference - "I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw." I would love that to be the case, actually, as it fits nicely with the changing realities that Cary Grant experiences throughout the film. In reality, it's probably just a pretty cool-sounding title that they stuck with…

There's something about North by Northwest that I just don't like. I recognize that it's a great film; it takes the same basic concept as The 39 Steps, builds it out, polishes it up, and adds Cary Grant. Sounds like a pretty foolproof recipe to me.

But both times I've seen this one, something has left me cold. I felt more that I should like it, instead of actually liking it. I think that something may be Eva Marie Saint. This film really hinges on the relationship between Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall, and I never get to the point where I want Roger to end up with her. Whereas with The 39 Steps, I adored watching Donat and Carroll…

"No, they didn't give me a chaser!"
#53 on Berken's Favorite Movies Of All Time

Movies don't get much more honest about their intentions than North By Northwest, which has the good sense to abruptly end about 15 seconds after its protagonist finds his way out of mortal danger for the last time. Perhaps both its chief credit and chief limitation, Hitchcock's most famously entertaining movie has no illusions about its single purpose - to keep the audience on edge and entertained for a touch over two hours and then send them on their way - and happily draws the curtain the moment that purpose has been fulfilled.

Essentially, North By Northwest captures the spirit of a James Bond blockbuster…

I'm not very good at reviewing movies so I'm just going to use this space to talk about whatever I want.

This was the first film we watched in my Intro to Film class. You all know this is a great film, so it's more interesting to me to note the reactions from my fellow students than to analyze the film. I'm interested in how people my age view "older" films. There have been multiple articles recently about how young people just don't GET classic films these days. I myself have had some trouble understanding why some films are so well regarded, but I feel like I'm starting to grow an appreciation for older films.

From what I could tell,…

The Norwegian title for this film is an idiomatic phrase which roughly translates to "having your heart in your throat". In movie terms it describes that feeling you have when you're on the edge of your seat.

The modern moviegoer will probably be bored by the suspense on display here. I can picture a lot of people complaining that nothing happens in this movie. There are no shaky-cams and excessive amounts of zooming. Information is doled out in due time with patience and respect for the audience. Its not shoved down your throat so that you'll understand whatever happens at any given time. The movie is simple, but the fact that it keeps its cards close to its chest makes…