Review of North By Northwest

Introduction

Alfred Hitchcock is widely regarded as a master of not only the suspense genre but also film-making in general. His vast CV contains many films now considered as classics, and is proof that directors aren`t just highly-paid buffoons (although in certain cases, this is still debated...).

After dealing with more serious yarns, he asked Ernest Lehman to pen a `fun` script: something easily accessible yet still packing a typical Hitch punch. North By Northwest is the result.

Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is not a spy. And he`s certainly no murderer. Nevertheless, Thornhill`s a wanted man: enemy agents want him dead, the police want him arrested, and a cool, mysterious blonde (Eva Marie Saint) just plain wants him. A victim of mistaken identity, Thornhill can`t afford to make any mistakes of his own - so he embarks on a death-defying run for his life. Relentlessly pursued by plane, train and automobile, Thornhill`s cross-country chase finally ends atop Mt. Rushmore where, if he doesn`t watch his step, he could be in for a terrible fall.

Video

1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. The film was made in 1959 yet it still possesses a very clear print, and although the odd blemish is visible (loss of crispness at certain points and a slight lack of definition), this is not a fault of the transfer, instead a small ideosyncracy with the print itself. The visuals themselves are good, with a wide range of the palette to depict the various tones of the scenes. Very good considering tha age of the stock.

I have to say that if viewers are expecting a very tense affair packed full of suspense, they will be disappointed. Instead, North By Northwest is more of a `fun` film - yes, the undercurrent running through the film may be somewhat energetic, portraying a story in which the main character must battle for his life/innocence, so in that respect tension exists, but instead Hitchcock creates a more jovial atmosphere: allowing for events that are enjoyable and not too deep and hard going. In current cinema terms, I would compare the film with the Bond series.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1 (English) & Dolby Digital Mono (French). Two surprises awaited me when discovering the audio on this disc - one, that a title from 1959 carries a 5.1 soundtrack; two, that the 5.1 track is not used as much as it should be. The surrounds, when used, are used well, but the problem is they are just never relied on enough. There are many sequences in the film that would call upon a surround mix, yet for the majority of the film the main audio stream does all the work: yet thankfully it does it well. The audio is crisp and clear, with good ambiance, and the subwoofer is given a good workout the odd time it is used (the highlight being the culmination of the cropduster sequence). All in all, it is a good stab at remastering a title for a DVD audience, but a little more time spent sprucing up the soundstage would have been great. The additional track, French mono, is clear, but not particularly involving.

Ernest Lehman`s script is something that can appeal to many generations - written over fourty years ago and still packing a stylish punch, this is testament to modern day writers that a golden oldie can still entertain and amaze, due to some good twists and character development. Just who is this mysterious blond? Why has Thornhill been mistaken as a spy? How is everything going to culminate?

Features

On paper, the extras look good, especially considering the age of the film...

We begin with an audio commentary from writer Ernest Lehman, whose knowledge of the subject and love of Hitchcock`s work is impressive. However, there are frequent bouts of nothing, and when speaking, he is very slow...whether this is due to his age, I don`t know. But, when he is talking, he is informative and insightful. Not the best commentary track, but better than nothing.

"Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North By Northwest" does what it says on the tin. Hosted by Eva Marie Saint, who plays Eve Kendall, it is an informative and interesting look at a film that was a big project back in the 50s. Running at over 30 minutes, it treads the line between too little and too much information well. With behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with cast and crew, all of your questions about the making will most probably be answered. Well worth watching.

There is a stills gallery with over 20 images from the production. Interesting, but sparse, and could do with sprucing up: music in the background and a slide show of the stills would be better.

A music-only track showcasing the score is also provided. A nice addition, if a little pointless!

A theatrical trailer and a TV commercial from the time of release complete the package - and are interesting as we can see what Hollywood marketing, or Warner Bros. to be precise, was like back in the late 50s.

The menus are animated well, with music in the background and various animations cascading over the easy to navigate screens.

Conclusion

Classed by many as a classic, and one of Hitchcock`s best works, North By Northwest for me falls short slighly of these tags. Enjoyable and very watchable, yet lacking substance, this is a film from decades ago that has stood the test of time in the accessibility stakes at least.

Due to the odd flaw, such as the film veering into predictable thriller terrority, and the occassional plot hole, it cannot be classed as a masterpiece. However, it can indeed be classed as a title that would not look amiss in anyone`s collection.

The acting is top-notch: Cary Grant looks suitably confused; Eva Marie Saint looks suitably sexy; and James Mason`s agenda is never exposed too soon, thankfully. My only criticism with the actors, or make that characters, is how Grant is thrust into something totally unexpected, and although he soon adjusts, he never looks deadly or desperate enough to do what he embarks on: in short, a hair never looks out of place. Whilst this may convey coolness and savvy, if someone was thrust into a situation where it really was a case of life or death, I think they would act in slightly different ways than Cary Grant/Roger Thorhill does.

Hitchcock was undeniably a master of the genre, and his attempt at a more light-hearted film was a good choice, both career-wise and audience-wise. But, with a bit more suspense here and there, and a bit more style and understanding, this would have been outstanding. As it is, it is `merely` very good: a look at the heightened danger of post-War America, seen through the eyes and actions of an innocent man thrown into the deep end.

Disc wise, it is good all round, but compared to modern releases it is understandably lacking (albeit slightly). Just below very good visuals; just below very good audio; and just below very good extras mean this is a good package overall - and worth a purchase if the RRP sounds good to your wallet - but the annoying thing is that this came so close to perfection.

As they say, so close yet so far...