North by Northwest (1959)

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An advertising executive is mistaken for a spy and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive.

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Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

Written By: Ernest Lehman

Starring: James Mason, Martin Landau, Cary Grant, Leo G. Carroll, Les Tremayne, Eva Marie Saint, Edward Platt, Josephine Hutchinson, Jessie Royce Landis, Philip Ober, Adam Williams, Robert Ellenstein

Genres: Suspense/Thriller, Action, Adventure, Mystery

Country: USA

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North by Northwest belongs to 138 collections

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All Ratings | With Reviews

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
10	Alex Watkins	5 _91st
Holy crap is this movie way steamier than I ever remembered. Eva Marie Saint all but spreads her legs and asks Cary Grant to put it inside her. And yet she barely shows the slightest hint of skin. It's a tribute to the power of skillful double entendre, soft focus, backlighting and self-confidence making a woman seem enormously seductive. Oh, and of course, it's a blast from start to finish as Cary Grant fumbles his way through the world of international espionage. But Eva Marie Saint...damn.
8	BeeDub	100 _97th
A masterfully constructed film that perfectly balances action, suspense, humor, and romance with a razor-sharp script and impeccable direction. Often imitated by later action thrillers, but never duplicated.
6	doctor7	95 _98th
Without a doubt this is one of the best thrillers ever made. Cary Grant is superb and Hitchcock really lives up to his name as the "master of suspense." By today's standards it does take a bit of time to get started but that's a fault with today's movies, not this one. This is, without a doubt, a must see.
5	NathanDarko	95 _93rd
North by Northwest counts till today to the top of espionage thriller...many things that you can see in today movies were asumed by this Hitchcock classic.Ageless!!
4	MartinTeller	86 _87th
There's a lot of great scenes here, but it's all a little too goofy for me. I don't think Hitchcock always succeeds at the balance of comedy and thriller that he's shooting for here. The rampant sexual innuendo and double entendre is kind of silly, and Saint doesn't hold a candle to most of Hitchcock's other blondes. I'm inclined to criticize the suspension of disbelief required to get through some of the plot's more ludicrous points, but I realize it's all meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
4	eveelun	90 _97th
Wonderful adventure film with charming and very funny performance by Grant, deservedly classic action sequences, great supporting work by Mason and Landau, and excellent pacing and twists.
4	terrymac	92 _98th
Thoroughly absorbing, and masterfully made. Hitchcock et al at the height of their powers.
4	paulofilmo	72 _78th
hes like a fish out of water thats actually like a duck to water. like, he is a duck but he thought he was a fish for a long time. no he is a platypus. sartorial duck fucking platypus
3	SlrSoapbox	95 _96th
Hitchcock is amazing, this is Cary Grant's best movie, and the twists and turns of the story are really fun.
3	Farzan	93 _94th
North by Northwest is such an amazing mystery. Hitchcock works his magic as he usually does, but Cary Grant plays his part with excellence, and a large level of class. The pace is perfect, with every step Grant gets closer to solving the mystery, something happens that makes it more thrilling. This is an underated Hitchcock, I mean a lot of people know Psycho, and Rear Window, but a lot of people do not recognize North by Northwest, and that is a bloody shame. An absolute gem of a classic.
3	frederic_g54	9 _90th
What an entertaining and heart pumping ride. I did find the first mysterious hour better than the second, with the latter containing some silly moments throughout (plane crashing on oil tank in the middle of the desert, what are the odds :O ), but Hitchcock works his magic, the film is masterfully constructed, it grabs and wows you (and I think I need a rewatch). Lovely making of aswell: when I saw Martin Landau I said "fuck me, was that him all along ???!!!"
2	Magb	90 _85th
Hitchcock's most purely entertaining effort. It's got some rather implausible plot points, such as not a single person noticing that Cary Grant's character wasn't the one who fired the shot in the scene in the embassy, but they're easy to ignore. It's not supposed to be realistic anyway.
2	jimmynmu	89 _90th
The lighter side of Hitchcock, tons of fun.
2	cellophane	96 _93rd
A classic for a reason: The acting, plot, directing, and pacing all work together to form magic.
2	Derekstar	60 _36th
Eva Marie Saint is like 34 or 35 playing a 26 year old, but her makeup is so heavy that she looks more like 40. Cary Grant is 55 playing an impeccably tanned James Bond. That whole relationship is pretty stupid. But whatever. I have to admit that the film looks great, but I could only make myself care about the story for the first hour or so. From the airplane scene it only gets more and more trite. Fantastic opening credits though, can I say that?
2	Koalafish	70 _68th
It's an entertaining movie, but in my opinion highly overrated. The story has countless plotholes and all characters do stupid illogical things all the time. Like all Hitchcock films it's well executed with many original ideas. Still most of it was just too silly to call it a masterpiece.
2	tonydal	100 _99th
"The Man In Lincoln's Nose." Cary Grant's drunken struggle with his testimony is hilarious. The cropduster scene is weirdly stark and terrifying.
2	BillyShears	95 _96th
The scenes between Grant and Saint = 50s porn. "FUCK MY FACE DEAR" "WONDERFUL"
2	Barthalen	82 _86th
A fun ride, if a bit long. The dialogue is sharp and/or sexy, the cast is great and it has several iconic movie moments. I had to giggle at the final shot of the train entering the tunnel, immediately after the main characters embrace. Ye gods, I'm so infantile sometimes. (Now where did I put my Magic cards?)
2	Luna6ix	87 _93rd
Rakes you in right from the beginning, and doesn't let you go until the end. It's gripping and entertaining, and Grant's character is so charmingly witty that you would have to try really, really hard to hate this movie.
2	Zealot185	59 _39th
Really enjoyed the first 30 minutes or so. I thought Hitchcock was going for a noir-ish comedy, but then it aims for a serious mystery thriller tone, with big-budget Hollywood action (at least, for 1959) thrown in. My suspension of disbelief meter was broken by that point already and throwing more implausibility into the mix didn't help matters. Great camerawork though - loved the drunk driving scene.
2	luc	100 _99th
I've seen this movie now 6 times and I think this is one of the best movies of Hitchcock. Nice impressive story and some hilarious, comical scenes to watch like the auction. The end is amazingly good with a beautiful luxury villa on a rock. James Mason is so good in this movie as a bad guy with a fabulous nice voice.
2	ZayanK	89 _81st
Silly but fun. Also, there's som- JESUS CHRIST GET DOWN THE PLANE IS COMING BACK
2	psim	82 _82nd
Another classic by Hitchcock that remains extremely watchable today. A case of mistaken identity leads to a thrilling spy action story that plays as a proto-James Bond film.
2	billkerwin	98 _97th
Probably the most entertaining movie ever made. Stylish. Not deep, but perfect.
2	Cinema_Asia	85 _92nd
It's a great story full of tense and funny moments. The cinematography is top notch and has all the Hitchcock touches. The twist is interesting and the paranoia and spy games of the cold war is nicely presented. The moral ambiguity was also a daring point to raise and entirely relevant even now. Unfortunately, the effects and 50's romance is horribly dated compared with other Hitchcock films. Saint's acting is a bit dull for that era's leading women. Cary Grant shines as the debonaire buffoon.
2	Tjekhov	80 _86th
Cary Grant would charm the pants out of me if were a girl living in New York in the 50's. Other than the sublime plot structure and the great action scenes the script is quite witty, which compliments Grants abilities as an actor.
2	Bunken	80 _88th
Great Hitchcock thriller, which still stands as one of it's genres best, fifty years since it's initial release...
2	Noblet	86 _87th
Pretty damn silly, it felt like a precursor to the James Bond movies. It was very entertaining, although I definitely prefer the more serious Hitchcock films. Mmmmm, hot train on tunnel action.
2	glumpy_99	100 _99th
Brilliant, classic Hitchcock, livened by a whip-smart, witty screenplay by Lehman, and spotlighting Grant at the arguable height of his droll, charismatic persona. So incredibly entertaining (and beautiful to look at, courtesy of gorgeous VistaVision photography), that one can forgive one of the most blatant uses of the MacGuffin in film history, as it becomes increasingly clear that what Mason is up to is entirely irrelevant, and a climax which stops a hairbreadth short of being a cheat.
2	TjlMovFrks23	100 _96th
A thriller masterpiece of non-stop action. The master of thriller has again demonstrated how suspense should be carefully controlled. furthermore, Hitchcock also showed the significant of a great musical score. It keep each action scene flowing with persistent momentum. This is a true classic for the thrill seekers that want to immerse themselves in a rich cinematic experience.
2	TimeCapsule	86 _90th
Cary Grant is fantastic as accidental "James Bond" in this Alfred Hitchcock mystery. The film is surprisingly funny between the bits of Hitchcock suspense, but the unveiling of the mystery can be more vexing than it is compelling. Although some of the special effects look very dated, the movie may be most famous today for its' exciting and iconic crop duster and Mount Rushmore action set pieces.
2	nobamba	90 _95th
Classic action sequences and Hitchcock flair. An everyman superhero. Fav scene: that final insinuation of the train going into the tunnel.
1	Actionberg	95 _97th
I knew I was in love with this film when that one lady says "So horribly sad. How is it I feel like laughing?" Everybody fit perfectly into their roles; Cary Grant is smooth, Eva Marie Saint is seductive, James Mason is stone-cold, and Martin Landau is so fucking creepy. Also, I thought my favorite Bernard Hermann score in Jason and the Argonauts couldn't be topped, but there's certainly a contender in this movie. It's wonderful and majestic from the very start of the credits. So very fun.
1	CCLZA	85 _89th
Hitchcock in top storytelling form. This must be one of his most thrilling, entertaining and mesmerizing stories. It's an extremely fun scene after another.
1	Filligan	96 _94th
From the very first frame to the last, North by Northwest will completely engross you. It contains all the masterful strokes so common with Hitchcock with a damn immaculate script and score. Cary Grant works wonders here, too. He injects fun into the picture with his light delivery and attitude, but it doesn't defuse the danger he's in.
1	Moribunny	73 _79th
Yeah it's contrived/unrealistic, but yeah it's SUPPOSED to be pure entertainment and it's very well made that way, it's the cream of the crop for Hitchcock. The cornfield scene truly deserves its status as one of the all-time classic moments in cinema, it's just magnificent. James Mason and Martin Landau are great as the baddies. Still, there's only so high I can rate this; it delivers on gut level but really could have been better if it had more brains and heart.
1	krmr	95 _98th
A very interesting story that plays out wonderfully.
1	Pickpocket	8 _82nd
Pretty incredible, I could watch that airplane scene every day.
1	supergloo	5 _18th
Some classic sequences (and some awkward ones--Cary and Eva's love scene on the train resembles a slow-motion wrestling match) can't disguise the fact that Hitch was pandering a bit too much to the masses in this one.
1	Ytadel	9 _98th
It's Hitchcock at his lightest, most accessible, and most entertaining, and as a dumb, simple guy who likes to be entertained, I love it. It's a wonderfully paced, hugely inventive rollicking adventure movie with international espionage and intrigue, chases, narrow defying of death, sex on trains, and a fantastic climax all through the eyes of the obscenely likable Cary Grant. Just goddamn perfect entertainment. Love it!
1	angrypierre	85 _85th
Silly, but you can't say it's not exciting or compelling. Even though the ending is a little bit of a cop out. Some truly iconic scenes and beautiful cinematography.
1	ironcity18	97 _92nd
Inconic film with amazing twists, great perfs, beautiful acting, and the best suit ever donned on film. cary grant is dashing and perfect and the set pieces never fail to satisfy on repeat viewings. The score by Hermann is also fantastic.
1	twincinema	90 _92nd
This film is just women getting incredibly horny around Cary Grant.
1	Suture Self	9 _91st
Despite being complete nonsense, this film succeeds on virtually every level.
1	Grit	87 _93rd
Hitchcock's one true big and entertaining blockbuster, but North By Northwest seems to have gone slightly by the wayside when thinking of the Hitchcock classics. Grant works very well here, especially when coupled with Hitchcock pacing and direction.
1	bowfinger	93 _97th
This is a classic in every sense of the word. If you haven't seen it, than you don't know where most suspense/thriller/mysteries have been feeding from for the past fifty years, and yet, none has been able to surpass this masterpiece.
1	sebby	96 _99th
Holy shit this is an entertaining, exciting film. Never really lets up and it's genuinely gripping until the end.
1	purgatos	83 _78th
I'm used to Hitchcock's thrillers, so this was much closer to a Bond movie than it was to what I was expecting. Lots of fun though.
1	Va3H	83 _41st
Much of this film's greatness and recognition is directly proportional to the depiction of its current times surrounding the Cold War, such as: moral relativism, spying, national security and exploitation of citizen rights; rather than the exceptional acting. Furthermore, with weak character development aside from Roger Thornhill and Eve Kendall, the film additionally is otherwise anticlimactic and the last thirty minutes revolves around a damsel in distress conflict weakening the film overall
1	davebirch	100 _92nd
My nan loves this movie, and I watched it with her years ago and I love it too.
1	Obdurate	80 _66th
Gotta be honest, the plane scene looked a little silly to me. Some of the dialogue was hokey, specifically near the end when they said awkward sentences in order to explain key plot points. These are minor digs, however, because Grant was a lot of fun, there was some good humour, and it was entertaining throughout, with some masterful set pieces here and there and inspired shots. Even though it's not as suspenseful as some other Hitchcock, it's still a good example of the genre.
1	ewp805	90 _94th
A long, yet absolutely classic thriller out of the Golden Age. Cary Grant gives arguably the performance of his career, and all these set-pieces are absolutely legendary. Whether it's the man-on-the-run, the mystery, the suspense, Mount Rushmore, the crop-dusting, or the romance, it's all handled with total grace and mastery. With North by Northwest topping off a decade that included Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, and Vertigo, it's safe to say that Hitchcock was untouchable in the 50's.
1	pompousass	80 _94th
The topper of all of Hitchcock's cross-country cat-and-mouse thrillers. The species that was spawned in the Thirties with _Young and Innocent_ and _The 39 Steps_ has undergone some body-building after all these years of exercise, and emerges here in a form higher (the United Nations building), wider (the Midwest corn fields), and grander (the face of Mt. Rushmore) than ever before. There are ample tipsy giggles and hokey excitements
1	nunstrangler	100 _95th
The movie where Grant and Saint dangle from the faces of Mount Rushmore and a plane chases Grant through farm fields. Exceptional performances, particularly Grant's. Plenty of plot twists are mixed with tongue-in-cheek humor.
1	Zozan	91 _93rd
I almost shit my pants at the auction scene. lol.
1	ogiers	100 _94th
Hitchcock's best. One of the best films ever made. Amazing. Exciting. What a real "thriller" should always aspire to.
1	Anselmi86	68 _47th
So sue me, Hitchcock's most overrated film.
1	Murray	85 _76th
First half is humorous, mysterious and well paced. Second half feels disconnected, has a wonky romance and is so predictable that it hurts.
1	Mifune	100 _96th
best of alfred's
1	Tds4a	3 _80th
Before I saw it, I thought it'd be just a precursor to spy thrillers (i.e. Bond), but ala Psycho, it's better than what it influenced. It's also uproariously funny, with a hilariously ineffectual hero and a ridiculously unbelievable but fun setup. It's also got an annoyingly ineffectual heroine, unfortunately, but that's its only slip-up.
1	MontyCircus	60 _68th
Over-complicated and convoluted plot. And ad-man turns into Double-O-Thornhill instananeously, which is downright preposterous. Still, it's Hitchcock so there's a lot to like. And the extra kid with his fingers in his ears during the gunshots at the end is one of the all-time film bloopers, which is always good for a giggle.
1	TnMovieFan2	97 _90th
Another Hitchcock classic masterpiece. One of the finest cat-mouse chase films of all time.
1	Lord Moe	97 _95th
There is twist after twist in this film, and the intensity rarely lets up. Cary Grant is phenomenal in the leading role. So cool, yet so funny. Alfred Hitchcock is known as the "master of suspense." This isn't quite a suspense film, but there are some very simple, yet effective suspenseful moments. But underneath all of the action, kidnapping, and talk of secret agents is a great sense of humor. Thornhill is a great lead character, giving us plenty of hilarious lines to leave us laughing.
1	fuzzleshnops	91 _89th
Twists on twists on twists. Nice.
1	exoplanett	100 _95th
To me, there is no Director who clearly puts so much effort, passion, and commitment into his work. Every scene is given so much attention and filled with so much detail, that it gives the setting of the film such a real feeling, it's hard not to get enthralled in each and every moment. Cary Grant plays the best role I have ever seen. To begin with his character is absolutely phenomenal, and he plays the part so well it is impossible not to love every moment. This is a perfect adventure film.
1	???	25 _16th
Cary Grant is almost unbearably orange.
1	juntakinte99	85 _73rd
The perfect entry point for someone new to Alfred Hitchcock. It has all his 50's hits: an overbearing mother, a wrongfully accused man, an average hero who becomes terrorized, a blonde woman who can't be trusted, and a woefully inept authority figure who is ultimately of no help to fixing the conflict. The two big action pieces (genius in their simplicity) hold up to this day. And while the politics and gender issues are a bit dated, that wonderfully suggestive last shot is still bold.
1	rttntomatoes	100 _98th
Gripping, suspenseful, and visually iconic, this late-period Hitchcock classic laid the groundwork for countless action thrillers to follow.
1	mwestcott	100 _95th
North by Northwest is basically a Bond film taken completely seriously. Hitchcock managed to craft a slow paced and somehow entirely engrossing adventure out of not much more than a misunderstanding. At first anyway.
1	Ceekay19	70 _55th
Roger Thornhill: "In the world of advertising, there's no such thing as a lie. There's only expedient exaggeration."
1	brell	30 _36th
when they interrupted the fun suspense with its side of humor, I was thinking, 'it takes a lot more than this to get me to care about a straight couple for 20 minutes', but then the whole rest of the 2+ hour movie was about them. and no, they didn't give me a chaser

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Average Percentile 73.54% from 7317 Ratings