North by Northwest (1959)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writer:

Ernest Lehman (written by)

Release Date:

17 September 1959 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Alfred Hitchcock takes you.... North by Northwest!

Plot:

A hapless New York advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and is pursued across the country while he looks for a way to survive.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Agent | Advertising | Government Agent | Murder

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

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
Josephine Hutchinson	...	Mrs. Townsend
Philip Ober	...	Lester Townsend
Martin Landau	...	Leonard
Adam Williams	...	Valerian
Edward Platt	...	Victor Larrabee
Robert Ellenstein	...	Licht
Les Tremayne	...	Auctioneer
Philip Coolidge	...	Dr. Cross
Patrick McVey	...	Sergeant Flamm - Chicago Policeman
Edward Binns	...	Captain Junket
Ken Lynch	...	Charley - Chicago Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanley Adams	...	Lieutenant Harding (uncredited)
Andy Albin	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Anne Anderson	...	Woman (uncredited)
Ernest Anderson	...	Porter on Twentieth Century Ltd. (uncredited)
Malcolm Atterbury	...	Man at Prairie Crossing (uncredited)
Tol Avery	...	State Police Detective (uncredited)
Baynes Barron	...	Taxi Driver #2 (uncredited)
John Beradino	...	Sergeant Emile Klinger (uncredited)
Sara Berner	...	Telephone Operator (voice) (uncredited)
Stephen Bolster	...	Man with Camera (uncredited)
Taggart Casey	...	Shaving Man (uncredited)
Bill Catching	...	Auction Attendant (uncredited)
Bob Coe	...	Cropduster pilot (uncredited)
Walter Coy	...	U.S. Intelligence Agency Official (uncredited)
Jimmy Cross	...	Taxi Driver #1 (uncredited)
Lucille Curtis	...	Woman (uncredited)
Patricia Cutts	...	Hospital Patient (uncredited)
Jack Daly	...	Train Steward (uncredited)
John Damler	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Lawrence Dobkin	...	U.S. Intelligence Agency Official (uncredited)
Tommy Farrell	...	Eddie - Elevator Starter (uncredited)
Jesslyn Fax	...	Woman (uncredited)
Josephine Forsberg	...	Friendly Passenger (uncredited)
Sally Fraser	...	United Nations Receptionist (uncredited)
Paul Genge	...	Lieutenant Hagerman (uncredited)
Ned Glass	...	Ticket Seller (uncredited)
Tom Greenway	...	Silent State Police Detective (uncredited)
Norm Heffron	...	Radio Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Len Hendry	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man Who Misses Bus (uncredited)
Eugene Jackson	...	Security Guard at Auction (uncredited)
Bobby Johnson	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Sid Kane	...	(uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Extra Leaving Office Building (uncredited)
Madge Kennedy	...	Mrs. Finlay (uncredited)
Doreen Lang	...	Maggie - Roger's Secretary (uncredited)
Bill Lloyd	...	Extra (uncredited)
Alexander Lockwood	...	Judge Anson B. Flynn (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Nora Marlowe	...	Anna - Housekeeper (uncredited)
Tom Marshall	...	Police Officer in Chicago (uncredited)
James McCallion	...	Plaza Valet (uncredited)
Maura McGiveney	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Carl Milletaire	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Howard Negley	...	Conductor on Twentieth Century, Ltd. (uncredited)
Charles Postal	...	(uncredited)
Maudie Prickett	...	Elsie - Maid (uncredited)
Hugh Pryor	...	(uncredited)
Ralph Reed	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Man at Mt. Rushmore Cafeteria (uncredited)
Harry Seymour	...	Victor - Captain of Waiters (uncredited)
Robert Shayne	...	Larry Wade (uncredited)
Doris Singh	...	Indian Girl (uncredited)
Jeremy Slate	...	Policeman at Grand Central Station (uncredited)
Olan Soule	...	Assistant Auctioneer (uncredited)
Helen Spring	...	Bidder (uncredited)
Harvey Stephens	...	Stockbroker (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Man at United Nations Building (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	Assistant Conductor (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Ranger (uncredited)
Ray Weaver	...	Policeman at Grand Central Station (uncredited)
Susan Whitney	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Frank Wilcox	...	Herman Weitner (uncredited)
Robert Williams	...	Patrolman Waggoner (uncredited)
Paula Winslowe	...	Woman at auction (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Photographer at United Nations (uncredited)
Carleton Young	...	Fanning Nelson (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Ernest Lehman		(written by)

Produced by
Herbert Coleman	....	associate producer
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
Robert Burks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini

Casting by
Leonard Murphy		(uncredited)

Production Design by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Art Direction by
William A. Horning
Merrill Pye

Set Decoration by
Henry Grace
Frank R. McKelvy		(as Frank McKelvey)

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup artist
Peggy Shannon	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Stanley Smith	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ruby Rosenberg	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Saunders	....	assistant director
Mickey McCardle	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Harry Edwards	....	props (uncredited)
Henry Greutert	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Mentor Huebner	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
John Ricardo	....	second props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Tom Hadley	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Van Allen James	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Bert Mott	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Tom Overton	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Howard Voss	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Charles Wallace	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects
Lee LeBlanc	....	special effects
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Cliff Shirpser	....	optical matte camera operator (uncredited)
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Ray Austin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Leonard P. Geer	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sol Gorss	....	stunt double: Cary Grant (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenny Bell	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Howard Bradner	....	grip (uncredited)
Howard Cashion	....	camera mechanic (uncredited)
Bobby Greene	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Mike Joyce	....	camera loader (uncredited)
James V. King	....	camera operator: crop-dusting sequence (uncredited)
Bud McNeil	....	best boy (uncredited)
Bill Shaw	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Tom Smith	....	grip (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Felix Trimboli	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Paul Weddell	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Harry Kress	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant
Edward K. Milkis	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Robert Foss	....	location auditor (uncredited)
Peggy Robertson	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) (presents)
• Loew's (produced by) (as Loew's Incorporated)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1959) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2000) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (France) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (2007) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Asociácia slovenských filmových klubov (ASFK) (2007) (Slovakia) (theatrical)
• Seven Films (2007) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (50th anniversary edition)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (50th anniversary edition)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vidéo (????) (France) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Solters & Digney  publicity (uncredited)
• Turner Entertainment  current copyright proprietor

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (USA) (complete title)
Breathless (USA) (working title)
In a Northwesterly Direction (USA) (working title)
The Man in Lincoln's Nose (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (2000) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:A (1959) | USA:Approved (PCA #19156) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Iceland:L | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) | Netherlands:12 (2008 re-release) | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:G (1959-1998) | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:12 (re-rating) | Peru:14 | UK:PG | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Norway:16

Filming Locations:

Bakersfield, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In a TCM interview, according to screenwriter Ernest Lehman (who worked in close collaboration with 'Alfred Hitchcock'), the working title was "In A Northwesterly Direction." The head of the Story Department at MGM said, "Why don't you call it 'North by Northwest'?" Lehman says that he and Hitch adapted that as the new working title, always assuming that they'd come up with something better.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Thornhill and his secretary are in a cab in front of the Plaza Hotel, a 1958 Ford cab is parked behind them. But when Thornhill exits the taxi, the car behind them has changed to a 1957 Dodge.

Quotes:

Roger Thornhill: I didn't realize you were an art collector. I thought you just collected corpses.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in L'appartement (1996)

Soundtrack:

It's a Most Unusual Day

Wonderful comedy thriller, not Hitchcock's best but his most sheerly enjoyable

North By Northwest is not an artistic masterpiece like Rear Window and Vertigo, but it is probably the most purely entertaining picture Hitchcock ever made. It's essentially a rehash of many of his earlier films, with a plot partially derived from The Thirty Nine Steps and the very similar Saboteur, while there are borrowings from Foreign Correspondent and Notorious, among others. However, it is all done with such style and confidence that it doesn't matter if it's essentially just a greatest hits package.

Very few other films of this kind attain the near perfect tone of this one, precariously balanced between seriousness and silliness. Sometimes this film manages the very difficult trick of being both suspenseful and comical at the same time, as in the auction house scene, or the wonderful scene in the lift when the hero's mother turns to two heavies in a lift looking menacingly at the hero and says "you gentlemen are not REALLY trying to kill my son, are you?".

Of course the famous crop dusting plane scene and the Mount Rushmore chase are terrific. The former is really more notable for the amount of time taken to build up to the action than the action itself, while the technical work on the latter still looks pretty good. In a totally different vein is the astonishingly frank seduction sequence on the train. Hitchcock takes his time here as with many of the other scenes, but the film is so crammed with memorable passages that one hardly notices it's 136 mins long.

Ernest Lehman's script is full of wonderful lines, many of them delivered so well by chief villain James Mason that at times we almost want to root for him. "Has any one ever told you tend to overplay your various roles Mr Kaplan....it seems to me you fellows could stand a little less training from the FBI and a little more from the Actor's Studio". Cary Grant is so smooth one almost forgets he's over 50, and of course there's also Bernard Herrmann's vibrant score.

Endlessly enjoyable even with repeated viewings. How many of today's thrillers will be such fun in 25 years time?