100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #117: North by Northwest (1959)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starry Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
When Alfred Hitchcock walked into the office to pitch his latest idea, writer Ernest Lehman immediately knew this was going to be something special. The 1950s had proven to be a period of great success for Hitchcock, but as the decade came to a close, he set his sights even higher. Sitting thoughtfully beside Lehman’s desk, he described his vision: a spy thriller culminating in a chase across Mount Rushmore. Lehman was hooked and promptly got to work. “This will be the Hitchcock movie to end all Hitchcock movies!” he exclaimed.
Lehman’s evaluation proved accurate. Released to near-universal acclaim, North by Northwest quickly secured its place as one of Hitchcock's most popular works. A synthesis of many distinctly Hitchcockian qualities, North by Northwest was his bid to craft the ultimate entertainment, stylized and sophisticated. Director François Truffaut recalled in an interview with Hitchcock that he wanted to do "something fun, light-hearted, and generally free of the symbolism permeating his other movies." Well-crafted and eminently accessible, it is an ideally suited starting point for Hitchcock newcomers.
One of the marks of a good artist is the ability to create something broadly approachable without sacrificing craft. The works of Beethoven offer a fine analogy. The Ninth Symphony, a universally acclaimed work of creative genius, has the power to evoke an emotional response in just about anyone who listens. Just as Beethoven utilizes every trick in his symphonic tool belt to bring the house down in the thrilling finale, so does Hitchcock within his own medium in North by Northwest. Following a series of chamber pieces (Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, and The Wrong Man), which were marked by cerebral sophistication and restraint, Hitchcock opted to shoot in the stunning VistaVision format, which allowed the film’s thrilling chase to play out across a vast canvas of American cityscapes and natural vistas. The result is an iconic postcard of 1950s America, an age of national confidence and growth amidst the intrigue of the Cold War climate.
North by Northwest came at an ideal time, benefiting from an efficient Hollywood studio system that gave the production access to many of the industry’s most talented artisans, already under contract with MGM. The result is a film where nothing feels rushed, no corners appear to have been cut, and no expense seems spared. One example comes from the set designers, who skillfully constructed a house for the film’s villain in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, a location that still feels sleek and modern to this day. In perhaps their most remarkable achievement, the same design team built a replica of Mount Rushmore on a soundstage for the film’s dizzying finale. Deftly combined with painted backdrops, the result was highly realistic, a true feat of technical wizardry that holds up remarkably well.
It would be remiss not to mention the contributions of legendary composer Bernard Herrmann, whose iconic score has become synonymous with the thriller genre. Herrmann avoided scoring some of the film’s more intense scenes, allowing the visuals, dialogue, and narrative elements to stand on their own without musical interference. In a weaker film, the temptation would have been to lean heavily on musical cues to elicit emotions that the film alone could not support. Many B movies of the era often slipped into melodrama with overbearing scores. In the moments when Herrmann’s cues come to the forefront, they are all the more potent and memorable. Two themes establish themselves as lynchpins for the film’s narrative thrust: the bristling main title in a jaunty 3/8 meter, played by the full orchestra, which sets the tone for the film’s high-stakes thrill ride; and a tender conversation piece, which accentuates the film’s emotional core through a meandering clarinet line. Together, these themes are emblematic of protagonist Roger Thornhill’s ultimate trajectory: the grand, cross-country race to clear his name, and the underlying relational thread with his love interest.
These top-tier production elements allow Hitchcock’s narrative sophistication to unfold in a film that deftly balances a range of genre tropes. Comedy, romance, mystery, and thriller elements all surface in Lehman’s script, which distills Hitchcock’s signature style and recurring themes. The film firmly establishes the “wrong man” motif at the outset, as a deadly spy organization mistakenly kidnaps advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), believing him to be an undercover government agent. He is subsequently framed for murder and forced to go on the run from both law enforcement and the spy ring bent on eliminating what they perceive as a compromising threat. Thornhill is innocent, yet as a common man thrust into the line of duty, he must step up, abandon his comfortably mediocre life, and clear his name.
Roger Thornhill’s character arc reflects the classic structure of the hero’s journey. He is called from a state of almost narcissistic passivity to action and commitment. This transformation is enriched by the love interest he encounters during his flight: the archetypal Hitchcock blonde, Eve Kendall, who draws him out of merely thinking of his own interests. As he flees across the country, Thornhill’s trajectory becomes one toward virtue, as he embraces his role as a committed protector.
Amid the film’s sophisticated twists, turns, and double crossings, Thornhill must embrace his masculine identity. At the outset, he possesses the external trappings of manhood, the sophistication and the designer suits, while exemplifying a puerile attitude: a heavy-drinking bachelor who could not stay married. As the challenges mount, he must choose to commit himself to protecting Eve at all costs. As they hang for dear life upon the precipice of Mount Rushmore, he decides to make the ultimate commitment to Eve, promising to marry her should they survive the ordeal.
Thornhill’s upward trajectory lends itself to a fascinating contrast with the protagonist of Hitchcock’s previous film, Vertigo. Where Thornhill emerges more grounded, brave, and altruistic, Vertigo’s Scottie Ferguson descends tragically into a state of obsession, spiritually bereft and bitterly disillusioned. Both arcs offer something to consider from a moral perspective, but North by Northwest provides the more edifying experience, ideal for the purposes of this publication.
In the context of film history, North by Northwest set the standard for subsequent action-thriller films, combining a sophisticated narrative structure and an archetypal hero’s journey with the finest production quality of its era. Many have observed its direct influence on the James Bond franchise, noting that the film’s big-budget thrills helped lay the groundwork for the modern summer blockbuster. It doesn’t get much better than North by Northwest. The film is simply fun, something that can be enjoyed by all.
Really like this post, the contrast between Cary Grant's character - and his movement upward and Jimmy Stewart's character in Vertigo losing his capacity to choose.... is very well drawn. I gained in understanding from this post and appreciate it very much.