Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest: How do you rate it after all these years?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Freedom Rider, Nov 25, 2014.

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  1. Freedom Rider

    Freedom Rider Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Russia
    Have all those plot holes and improbable situations that surface on repeated viewings ever bothered you and detracted from your enjoyment of the movie, or you don't care about that at all? Having read this review here (it's right at the top - "Fridge Logic") http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053125/reviews?filter=chrono which touches upon the whole "fridge logic" phenomenon I have to give even more credit to Hitchcock for being able to make a film that is obviously so flawed plot-wise work so perfectly overall. It turns your brain off for two hours and sucks you into its vertiginous irrational world so easily that you're actually willing to experience this crazy and absurd ride over and over and over again. What's the trick?

    So what are your thoughts on this film? Your favorite moments, scenes or lines?
     
    Licorice pizza likes this.
  2. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Not his best.
    Top 5.
    Believe that was his last successful film box office wise.
     
  3. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.
    I love it.....flaws and all. It's another of Hitch's "common man caught up in an uncommon situation" themes, but is done with such majestic, and now iconic, scenes that I easily overlook the 'tricky' plot. This one also seems to have influenced other film directors. I now have this on blu ray, quite a visual treat.
     
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  4. The Wanderer

    The Wanderer Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    NYC
    Interesting to watch, but feels dated.
     
    Karnak and JimC like this.
  5. clayton

    clayton Senior Member

    Location:
    minneapolis mn
    Still one of my favorites
     
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  6. HGN2001

    HGN2001 Mystery picture member

    Fabulous film. One of the best.

    Harry
     
    davmar77 likes this.
  7. CusBlues

    CusBlues Fort Wayne’s Favorite Retired Son

    Psycho, The Birds and Frenzy followed North by Northwest. I'm not sure how successful these movies were, but they were all great IMHO.

    North by Northwest was one of the first Hitch films I ever saw and love it to this day. I never really worried or thought about the plot holes. It never seemed important.
     
  8. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

    I love it. High octane fun.

    What plot holes?
     
  9. npc145

    npc145 music junkie

    One of my top 10
     
  10. If I want reality, I'll watch the news. And I have to suspend my disbelief to do that, too.
     
  11. It's a refinement of "The 39 Steps". Top 5 or 10 I would say but "Rear Window", Vertigo" and "Paycho" are all more groundbreaking films. Ernie Lehman's script is terrific though is Eva Marie Saint (who knew she could become a Hitchcock blond?)
     
  12. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    One of my fav. Hitch films.

    Not quite as good as Rear Window or Vertigo but very solid movie.
     
    JimC likes this.
  13. Sammy Waslow

    Sammy Waslow Just watching the show

    Location:
    Ireland
    Magnificent. It's my favourite Hitchcock film by a considerable margin, and in my all-time top five.
     
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  14. jhw59

    jhw59 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rehoboth Beach DE.
    A classic and a must have BR especially for the soundtrack 5.1 mix.
     
    wave likes this.
  15. My favorite Hitchcock film.
     
    MarkO and lbangs like this.
  16. guy incognito

    guy incognito Senior Member

    Location:
    Mee-chigan
    Not Hitch's best film, but quite possibly his most purely entertaining one. If I come across it on TCM or wherever I'll always end up watching it to the end.

    Coincidentally enough, Jesse Royce Landis, who plays Cary Grant's mother in this movie, was born 118 years ago today. She was only seven years older than Grant in real life.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
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  17. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Love the general idea of this film. Probably my favorite.
     
  18. Paul J

    Paul J Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore
    With Strangers On A Train, my favorite Hitchcock film. Thank heaven that Cary Grant got the lead over Jimmy Stewart, who I think overacts in Rear Window & somewhat in Vertigo, though it works there. The scene in the cab with the henchmen, the look in his eyes, he's terrific. Plus, I could listen to James Mason forever, great voice.
     
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  19. The Panda

    The Panda Forum Mutant

    Location:
    Marple, PA, USA
    Top 5. The 'special effects' (drunk driving, airplane crash) are very dated, but the witty banter between Cary and EMS never gets old. The ending is great and the crop duster sequence will always be a fantastic sequence.
     
  20. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    NBN 'Last " really " big star.
    Cary Grant made more $$$ in this film than Hitch.
     
  21. Freedom Rider

    Freedom Rider Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Russia
    I couldn't agree more. He's absolutely great in that "first encounter" scene in the mansion - the epitome of suave coolness.
     
    wave likes this.
  22. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Better Bond film than Dr. No.
     
  23. Freedom Rider

    Freedom Rider Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Russia
    Check out that link I posted - it's all there. I'm sure you can google up more in-depth analysis on this.
     
  24. DannyC

    DannyC Forum Resident

    Still like it.. the drunk driving scene goes on far too long and just isnt funny anymore (not sure it ever was, didnt Hitch himself have reservations or was it Grant) but it still oozes class.. Then again Mason just oozes Class just by opening a pair of curtains
     
    guy incognito likes this.
  25. Licorice pizza

    Licorice pizza Livin’ On The Fault Line

    Just got it on Blu Ray last year. Love it! Crop duster scene? The art auction in Chicago (hysterical!)?

    Vertigo is still my favorite, but this one just has all the right elements despite all the critique. "Torn Curtain" is another I hope they'll restore soon. That one's a real nail biter.
     
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