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North By Northwest [VHS] [1959]
 
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North By Northwest [VHS] [1959]

VHS ~ Cary Grant
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

A strong candidate for possibly the most entertaining and enjoyable film ever made by a Hollywood studio, North by Northwest is positioned between the much heavier and more profoundly disturbing Vertigo (1958) and the stark horror of Psycho (1960). In the corpus of Alfred Hitchcock films it shows the director at his most effervescent in a romantic comedy-thriller that also features one of the definitive Cary Grant performances. Which is not to say that this is just "Hitchcock Lite". It's a classic Hitchcock Wrong Man scenario: Grant is Roger O Thornhill (initials ROT), an advertising executive who is mistaken by enemy spies for a US undercover agent named George Kaplan. Convinced these sinister fellows (James Mason as the boss and Martin Landau as his henchman) are trying to kill him, Roger flees and meets a sexy Stranger on a Train (Eva Marie Saint), with whom he engages in one of the longest, most convolutedly choreographed kisses in screen history. And of course there are the famous set pieces: the stabbing at the United Nations, the crop-duster plane attack in the cornfield (where a pedestrian has no place to hide) and the cliffhanger finale atop the stone faces of Mount Rushmore. With its sparkling Ernest Lehman script and that pulse-quickening Bernard Herrmann score, what more could a filmgoer possibly desire? --Jim Emerson, Amazon.com

On the DVD: This wide-screen print of the movie looks remarkably fresh, preserving the vivid depth of the original's VistaVision cinematography. The main extra feature is a new and entertaining 40-minute documentary hosted by Eva Marie Saint in which most of the surviving cast and crew give their insights into the making of the picture (we learn for example that canny Cary Grant charged 15 cents per autograph). Screenwriter Ernest Lehman provides an audio commentary and on a separate audio-only track Bernard Herrmann's masterful score can be heard in its entirety. There's also a stills gallery and trailers. --Mark Walker



Synopsis

Hitchcock's first thriller for MGM in which a businessman is mistaken for a spy. He is pursued by enemy agents because he knows too much. Includes the original theatrical trailer.

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Customer Reviews

52 Reviews
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 (45)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (52 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding. Simply outstanding., 20 Mar 2002
By Tim Haveron Jones "haveronjones" (Holyport, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: North By Northwest [1959] [DVD] (DVD)
Anyone who thinks that the DVD format is only any good for new releases with eye-popping effects should buy this - an excellent DVD treatment of one of the most entertaining movies of all time.

It may be over forty years old, but it certainly doesn't look it - from the gorgeous opening titles through to the climax of the movie, this is a sumptuous transfer.

The extras - including a whimsical Ernest Lehman commentary - are above average among classic Hollywood movies.

All in all, I would challenge anyone to find a better value DVD anywhere. A must-have for anyone with the remotest interest in movies.

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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars perfect blend of sheer entertainment with subtextual moral relativism, 17 Oct 2007
By H. Serkan SILAHSOR (Ankara, TURKEY) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: North By Northwest [1959] [DVD] (DVD)
During a span of 51 years, Alfred Hitchcock made 57 feature films, from "The Pleasure Garden (1925)" to "Family Plot (1976)". I've watched nearly one-third of them and should say that "North by Northwest" is the fastest, funniest and most beautiful of his caper/thrillers.

Actually, the premise for "North by Northwest" is nothing new: a case of mistaken identity. An "ordinary man" accused of a murder he did not commit, and he must clear his name by assuming different identities. "The 39 Steps", "Young and Innocent", "The Wrong Man" and "Saboteur" were based on a similar theme. But what makes "North by Northwest" so special is its rarity in combining a twisted plot with a dazzling cast, great action, ingenious direction to create a yummy blend of suspense, adventure, deceit and Hitchcockian style of wry humor. If any movie shall be called "true cult classic", it is "North by Northwest".

Along with lots of deadly one-liners, the film hosts a bunch of the most memorable scenes in motion picture history: the murder in the lobby of the UN building, Thornhill's witty escape in the auction house, the attack of mysterious crop-duster in the middle of nowhere, all scenes on the train, and the climatic chase atop Mt. Rushmore. Hitchcock proves here again he was master of substitution of the language of the camera for words. Take the crop-duster scene. Without any music or special effects, no other director can afford to create such a claustrophobia on an open space in broad daylight just using natural sounds and complex suspense elements in the rhythm of events and cutting.

The film has a strong subtextual ideologic base too. Far ahead of its time in that it captures the political zeitgeist of late 1950s perfectly: moral relativism dominating the Cold War era. Very good epitome of how the State sacrifices the "ordinary man" for secretive causes involving the national interests.

Last word: pure, plain and vibrant. Despite 50 years have passed since its making, it is still fresh and highly watchable.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A true classic, 3 Nov 2002
By Wicker-king (North London, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: North By Northwest [1959] [DVD] (DVD)
There's not much that needs to be said about this film other than it is just an absolutely flawless piece of film-making.
The tension coils all the way through and the pace of the film never lets up but the true greatness of the film lies in the stellar performances given by Hitchcocks' actors with a Howard Hawks-like script. James Mason gives a great performance as the professional villain and steers well clear of the Hooded Claw-like criminal who twiddles his moustache and instead gives a subtle lesson in how to be ruthless.
At the foundation of the movie is the truly magnetic performances given by Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. The chemistry between the two is unlike any performances from any other movie. They give off so much heat that its a wonder they managed to film them and not have the celluloid melt in the camera. Cary Grant in particular plays the role of the man mistaken for a spy with great conviction and just draws you in like a moth to a candle and you just can't imagine anyone else being able to pull this role off with such credibility.
There are so many now legendary scenes throughout including the infamous crop duster scene and the final showdown on Mount Rushmore but for me the one in the auction house is an absolute treat and when you see it you'll know why, as Cary Grant does the kind of things only he could do.
It disturbs me how some people won't watch a movie unless its less than five years old because they are depriving themselves of the kind of entertainment that only films like this can give. No matter how many Bruce Willis or Arnold schwarzenegger action movies get produced they will never touch this movie, its got thrills, spills, chemistry, great one liners and some of the finest action sequences ever concocted. Buy it, watch it and tell your friends about it. Its even in colour.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars North by North best
Very entertaining, gorgeous bright colour, a classy movie from start to finish.
The 'making of'documentary introduced by Eva Marie Saint, is one of the best I've seen. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Caroline Henderson

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking Thriller.
When you watch an Hitchcock film you know you are going to be engrossed and amazed by all the twists and turns. However, North By NorthWest takes a little bit more out of you. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. A. Craddock

5.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC
This is quite simply one of my all time fav movies. A absolute must for any collection. Cary Grant plays an innocent man wrongly mistaken as a secret agent and is then pursued... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kenneth S. Bishop

4.0 out of 5 stars Very old but still great viewing
whilst there appears to be no solid reason for the title of this film, viewing it is still great, especially when one has lived through the era in which it was made. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. M. J. Clements

2.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't Work for Me
There are many positive reviews for "North by Northwest" so I may be out of step, but I love many classic movies ("Brighton Rock, "The Third Man", "Brief Encounter" and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Ross Maynard

5.0 out of 5 stars DVD North By North West
I remember watching this film for the first time many years ago when i was very young and found it fascinating, but then all Hitchcock films are i guess. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Malcolm

5.0 out of 5 stars unmissable
Although it may seem like a lightweight and less substantial film than some of Hitchcock's other works, North by Northwest was clearly built for one purpose and one purpose alone... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Treefingers

5.0 out of 5 stars Hitchcock's finest
One of Hitchcock's finest. A riveting tale of mistaken identity that plays out across at least three States. Who is Mr Kaplan? Why are Van Damm's agents after him? Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dustin St Clair

5.0 out of 5 stars my favourite classic movie
Roger Thornhill played by the charismatic Cary Grant is the real mummy's boy. It is a case of mistaken identity and the unadventurous Roger is mistaken for George Kaplan; a... Read more
Published 4 months ago by booklover

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, if a little too pleased with itself
While North by Northwest still doesn't rank among my favorite Hitchcocks, it's a lot more fun than I recalled. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Trevor Willsmer

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