North by Northwest
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What is the movie 'North by Northwest'?
North by Northwest, released in 1959, stands as one of Alfred Hitchcock's most entertaining suspense films. Cary Grant stars as Roger O. Thornhill, a New York advertising executive who is mistaken for a government agent named George Kaplan and pursued by international spies.
Thornhill finds himself in a series of escalating situations, including being kidnapped, framed for murder, and chased across the country. He encounters Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who helps him evade capture. Iconic scenes, like the crop-duster chase and the climax on Mount Rushmore, highlight the film. North by Northwest is known for its suspense, humor, and theme of mistaken identity.
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Who directed 'North by Northwest' and when was it released?
North by Northwest, a suspense film, was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1959. This was the fourth and last collaboration between Hitchcock and Cary Grant. The film is about Roger O. Thornhill, an advertising executive who is mistaken for someone else and kidnapped. He ends up fleeing across the country with the help of a woman named Eve Kendall, all while being pursued by the villains. North by Northwest is known for its suspense, black humor, and mistaken identity theme. Iconic sequences include the crop duster chase and the climax on Mount Rushmore.
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What is the main plot of 'North by Northwest'?
In North by Northwest, advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill is mistaken for someone else and abducted. He is brought to Phillip Vandamm, who believes Thornhill is George Kaplan and wants information. After Thornhill denies being Kaplan, he is forcibly intoxicated and set off in his car. After being arrested, Thornhill is led to a UN diplomat, Lester Townsend, but Townsend is murdered, and Thornhill is the prime suspect. He flees to Chicago, where he meets Eve Kendall, who helps him avoid capture.
In Chicago, Thornhill discovers Kendall is Vandamm’s mistress. He is arrested but then met by the Professor, who tells Thornhill that Kendall is an agent and Kaplan is fictional. In South Dakota, Thornhill overhears that Vandamm knows Kendall is a spy, and the couple escapes, ending up atop Mount Rushmore, where the police arrive and save them.
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Who are the main characters in the film?
North by Northwest is a 1959 suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant as Roger O. Thornhill, a New York advertising executive. Mistaken for a man named George Kaplan, Thornhill is kidnapped. The main characters include Phillip Vandamm (played by James Mason), a charismatic aristocrat who believes Thornhill is Kaplan and Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who saves Thornhill from capture on a train to Chicago. Other characters include the Professor (Leo G. Carroll) and Thornhill's mother (Jessie Royce Landis).
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What are some famous scenes or moments from 'North by Northwest'?
North by Northwest is a classic Alfred Hitchcock film known for its suspense and black humor. Several scenes stand out, such as when Roger O. Thornhill is pursued by a crop duster. The film reaches its climax with Thornhill and Eve Kendall atop Mount Rushmore, where they are pursued by Vandamm’s henchmen, marking a seminal moment in cinematic history.
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Why is 'North by Northwest' considered an important or classic film?
North by Northwest, a 1959 suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is regarded as a classic due to its suspenseful plot and black humor. The film is about Roger Thornhill, played by Cary Grant, an advertising executive who is mistaken for someone else and is then kidnapped. He then has to prove his innocence while on the run.
The movie is known for its iconic scenes, like the crop-duster chase and the climax at Mount Rushmore. Cary Grant's acting and Eva Marie Saint's role as the "cool blonde" added to the film's appeal. The movie showcases Hitchcock's skill in building suspense through camera techniques, editing, and Bernard Herrmann's music.
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North by Northwest, American suspense film, released in 1959, that is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most-entertaining movies. It was the fourth and last collaboration between the director and star Cary Grant.
Roger O. Thornhill (played by Grant) is a successful advertising executive who, while having lunch at the Plaza Hotel, is mistaken for another man and kidnapped in broad daylight. He is taken to an opulent home on the outskirts of New York City, where he meets Phillip Vandamm (James Mason), a charismatic aristocrat who believes Thornhill is George Kaplan and demands certain information. After repeatedly denying that he is Kaplan, Thornhill is forcibly intoxicated and sent off in his car, presumably to drive to his death in a fatal accident. Instead, the staggeringly drunk Thornhill is arrested by the local police. In trying to determine what has happened to him, Thornhill is led to Lester Townsend (Philip Ober), a UN diplomat. Just as Thornhill meets him, however, Townsend is murdered, leaving Thornhill as the prime suspect. He flees on a train to Chicago and avoids capture with the help of Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), a vivacious blonde who not only shelters Thornhill in her cabin but also seduces him.
Upon arriving in Chicago, Kendall informs Thornhill that Kaplan will meet him at a remote rural bus stop. Once there, however, Thornhill discovers that he has been lured into a trap and barely avoids being killed by a crop duster. He returns to Chicago and trails Kendall to an auction house, where he discovers that she is Vandamm’s mistress. In a tense confrontation, Thornhill is arrested by police but is then taken to the airport, where he is met by the Professor (Leo G. Carroll), a U.S. intelligence official who informs Thornhill that Kendall is actually an agent working for him, and her assignment is to find out how Vandamm’s operation is smuggling secret information out of the United States. The Professor also tells Thornhill that there never was a George Kaplan; he is a fictional character made up to deceive Vandamm and his men. The Professor and Thornhill trail Vandamm and Kendall to Rapid City, South Dakota, where Kendall pretends to shoot Thornhill in order to maintain her cover. However, when Thornhill secretly goes to Vandamm’s house, he overhears a conversation that makes it clear Vandamm and his men know Kendall is a spy. Thornhill and Kendall escape, ending up atop Mount Rushmore. As the couple navigates the perilous climb down, Thornhill tangles with Vandamm’s henchmen. Just as it appears all is lost, the police arrive, and Thornhill and Kendall are saved.
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North by Northwest is widely regarded as the classic Hitchcock film. It features taut suspense and black humour—the script was by Ernest Lehman, who received an Academy Award nomination—and has all the hallmarks of a Hitchcock movie, including the theme of mistaken identity. North by Northwest is highlighted by a number of iconic sequences; the crop-duster chase and the climax on Mount Rushmore are considered seminal moments in cinematic history. Grant gave a typically charismatic performance, and Saint ably filled the role of Hitchcock’s quintessential “cool blond.” Also earning praise was Mason as the villainous Vandamm and Jessie Royce Landis as Thornhill’s humorous mother.
Production notes and credits
- Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Director and producer: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writer: Ernest Lehman
- Music: Bernard Hermann
- Running time: 136 minutes
Cast
- Cary Grant (Roger O. Thornhill)
- Eva Marie Saint (Eve Kendall)
- James Mason (Phillip Vandamm)
- Jessie Royce Landis (Clara Thornhill)
- Leo G. Carroll (the Professor)
Academy Award nominations
- Art direction (colour)
- Editing
- Writing