North by Northwest

By Alfred HitchcockBy Alfred Hitchcock

StarringStarring

Cary Grant and Eva Marie SaintCary Grant and Eva Marie Saint

North by Northwest (1959)

• A suspenseful, classic Alfred Hitchcock A suspenseful, classic Alfred Hitchcock thrillerthriller

• The film paired Cary Grant and Hitchcock The film paired Cary Grant and Hitchcock for the fourth and last time.for the fourth and last time.

• Eva Marie Saint appears as the blonde Eva Marie Saint appears as the blonde heroine.heroine.

Themes of North by Northwest

• Mistaken identityMistaken identity• ‘‘Wrong Man’ heroWrong Man’ hero• False pretensesFalse pretenses• Survival in 20Survival in 20thth century America during the Cold War century America during the Cold War

• The Leo G. Carroll character in the film – the head of The Leo G. Carroll character in the film – the head of the American Intelligence Agency, was possibly the American Intelligence Agency, was possibly modeled after two 1950s real life figures: Secretary of modeled after two 1950s real life figures: Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and his brother Allen W. State John Foster Dulles and his brother Allen W. Dulles, head of the CIA.Dulles, head of the CIA.

North by Northwest

• Includes a tongue-in-cheek odyssey away from the city for Includes a tongue-in-cheek odyssey away from the city for a man who is normally sheltered by his wealth and a man who is normally sheltered by his wealth and prestige.prestige.• A light-hearted and complacent hero/bystander ( a A light-hearted and complacent hero/bystander ( a

successful Manhattan advertising executive) is successful Manhattan advertising executive) is suddenly totally vulnerable, isolated, and caught up in suddenly totally vulnerable, isolated, and caught up in an unexplainable series of events after being victimized an unexplainable series of events after being victimized (mistaken for an undercover Federal agent by a group (mistaken for an undercover Federal agent by a group of foreign spies), and then on-the-run as an implicated of foreign spies), and then on-the-run as an implicated murder suspect (after being framed for an UN official’s murder suspect (after being framed for an UN official’s murder.murder.

• He is pursued cross-country by a seeming He is pursued cross-country by a seeming conspiratorial group of spies, the police, then the FBI.conspiratorial group of spies, the police, then the FBI.

North by Northwest

• The American (Cary Grant) is forced to assume The American (Cary Grant) is forced to assume another man’s identity (George Kaplan, a non-another man’s identity (George Kaplan, a non-existent US agent) while confronted with murder, existent US agent) while confronted with murder, mayhem, a world of spies and counterspies, a mayhem, a world of spies and counterspies, a domineering and unbelieving mother, and an domineering and unbelieving mother, and an untrustworthy, mysterious blonde lover.untrustworthy, mysterious blonde lover.

• His final salvation occurs on the Presidential faces His final salvation occurs on the Presidential faces carved on Mt. Rushmore – the most modern carved on Mt. Rushmore – the most modern American image of all.American image of all.

Setting

• Although much of the film was made in the studio, Although much of the film was made in the studio, Hitchcock chose three prominent locales for brief Hitchcock chose three prominent locales for brief segments of the photogenic film.segments of the photogenic film.• The United Nations Building (NYC) (a hidden camera The United Nations Building (NYC) (a hidden camera

filmed the hero’s entrance up the steps into the filmed the hero’s entrance up the steps into the building, but the UN lobby was a recreation.building, but the UN lobby was a recreation.

• Grand Central Station (NYC)Grand Central Station (NYC)• Mount Rushmore (in South Dakota) (there are shots of Mount Rushmore (in South Dakota) (there are shots of

the exterior of the park’s monument, but the actors the exterior of the park’s monument, but the actors crawled next to a reproduction of the Presidential faces.crawled next to a reproduction of the Presidential faces.

Exciting Scenes

• These include a cross-country train rideThese include a cross-country train ride• The seven minute bi-plane crop duster The seven minute bi-plane crop duster

attack scene near a Midwest cornfieldattack scene near a Midwest cornfield• The auction sceneThe auction scene• The dangling finale at Mount RushmoreThe dangling finale at Mount Rushmore