North by Northwest Movie Information

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Movie Information

Overall Rank: 89

Average Rating: 3.3/4

# of Ratings: 621

Theatrical Release Date: 08/06/1959

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 11/03/2009

Language: English

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

MPAA Rating: PG

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Actors: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau, Leo G. Carroll, Jessie Royce Landis

Plot: A advertising exec is chased cross country while he tries to clear his
name in a government mistake. In the end, he can't tell who is on his
side.

Logan D. McCoy - wrote on 06/25/2019

One of Hitchcock's craftiest and most recognizable films, "North By Northwest" is still one of his best.

SteelCity99 - wrote on 04/22/2018

A classic and adventurous thriller according to Hitchcock's own classic formula of suspense construction. What we have here is basically recycled elements of the superior masterpiece The 39 Steps (1935); nevertheless, Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint display their best efforts to create interesting characters and Hitchcock has still the ability of creating absorbing environments which magic consists exclusively in shots and silences, despite you already know the final outcome. 97/100

Mark - wrote on 08/28/2014

favorite line (of many):Now you listen to me, I'm an advertising man, not a red herring. I've got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don't intend to disappoint them all by getting myself "slightly" killed. similar to hitchcock's the 39-steps and saboteur. multiple locales, the wrongly accused man on the run. however with nnw hitch raised the bar to a new level. a must see.

memento_mori
Producer

To flee or not to flee.

memento_mori - wrote on 10/04/2013

I've come to notice over my past few viewings of Hitchcock's films that Hitchcock reigns over a genre of his own.
His films always make me smile, cringe, clench my fists, take interest or just pay attention and be entertained. Having now viewed North by Northwest a second time, I can pronounce this without hesitation, Hitchcock's masterpiece.

I consider Psycho a milestone for the horror genre, but I consider this film an absolute treat for all genres.
It's one of the very few films that effectively combined several elements of comedy, thriller and romance and wove them into one.
James Nguyen tried to mimic the style it in 2008, and look what we got: Birdemic. You just can't top the best.
It blurred the line between these genres, working every category of a film flawlessly through …

MovieAddict
Producer

Sheer joy from start to finish!

MovieAddict - wrote on 12/26/2012

Roger O. Thornhill (the O stands for nothing) is a Madison Avenue Advertising hotshot who dictates his letters to his secretary as he steals cabs, frets about his theater tickets, fusses over his mother and his two ex-wives. By raising his hand at an inopportune moment at drinks in a restaurant, Thornhill is mistaken for spy George Kaplan and is kidnapped by two thugs working for a crafty criminal, Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) who grills him on what he knows. And true to his middle name, Thornhill knows nothing!

As Thornhill becomes wrapped up in the life of his double, George Kaplan, he finds himself soon taken with Eve Kendall, a beautiful-yet-cold woman (but can he trust her?) played excellently by Eva Marie Saint and becomes embroiled in a tale of international intrigue as he …

Yojimbo
Movie God

"North By Northwest" by Yojimbo

Yojimbo - wrote on 09/30/2012

An advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent and finds his life in danger from a ruthless spy ring. North By Northwest contains many of Hitchcock's favourite ingredients including the innocent protagonist in over his head in a world he doesn't entirely understand, mistaken identity, a beautiful femme fatale and a cross country race against time. In many ways it is like an early James Bond film where Bond hasn't actually got a clue what he's doing and it makes a refreshing change from the infallible, indestructible hero common to many spy movies; think of it as the anti-Taken. Cary Grant makes a very likeable hero (although he cannot resist playing some of the scenes for laughs which doesn't always sit well with the tone of the story) and it always looks glorious; the style …