Plot: What’s it about?
If you’re a fan of film, one would have to assume you’d be a fan of Alfred Hitchcock (or at least his movies). If not, you might want to rethink your hobby. Just kidding. The famed director gave us such films as Vertigo, Psycho, Rear Window (my personal favorite) and Notorious just to name a few. But his quintessential film might be this 1959 classic starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. All the elements are there: a case of mistaken identity, a chase across country and a climatic scene atop Mt. Rushmore of all places. Who’d have thought that the literal man in the grey flannel suit, would end up on George Washington’s nose? Evidently Hitchcock had shown James Stewart the script and Stewart thought he was being cast in the role made famous by Cary Grant. Hitchcock waited until Stewart started filming Anatomy of a Murder, then went on with this production. Sneaky. I could prattle on, but that’s no fun. What is fun was watching this masterpiece again and, good lord, it’s never looked so good.
We meet Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), a dashing advertising executive who’s inadvertently drawn into a world of espionage when he’s mistaken for a spy. He’s then kidnapped and framed for murder. Not knowing what to do (or wanting to get caught), he eludes the police as well as some counter-spies in the form of James Mason and Martin Landau. They believe him to be a secret agent by the name of George Kaplan. Roger boards a train to Chicago where he hopes to track down his real “alter ego” and thereby clear his name. This is a Hitchcock movie and we need, well, a blonde. She comes in the form of Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) and this leads to perhaps one of the most famous scenes in cinema – Cary Grant running from a crop duster that’s trying to kill him. This also leads us to the aforementioned climax atop one of the United States’ most iconic landmarks – Mt. Rushmore.
Like most great directors, it’s difficult to pinpoint which is their greatest work. If you’re talking Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen or the man himself – Alfred Hitchcock, it’s difficult. For me, it’s Rear Window – it’s the anti-North by Northwest whereas one spans the country, the other takes place in a courtyard. Go figure. Still, there’s no mistaking the suave, cultured charm that Cary Grant brought to the role and for many, I’m assuming that if they had to pick just one favorite Hitchcock film – it’d be this one. And with good reason – it’s a joy to watch again and again.
Video: How does it look?
Of the thousands of films I’ve watched, only a handful have really made my mouth drop open. And when I put the DVD (yes, DVD) of North by Northwest in my player way back in 2000 I was gobsmacked. The image was so crystal clear, free of dirt and debris I thought to myself “this is what DVD is all about.” Times have changed, technology has increased exponentially and now we’ve got this beloved classic in 4K with, well, equally impressive results. The average movie lover has likely become spoiled by how good new and old films look, so the result might not be quite as extreme as when this first hit DVD, but I assure you – this is flat out gorgeous. We get the film presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and the HEVC 4K image brings out the best in each and every frame. Cary Grant’s slicked back greying hair, the patterns in his suit and the beauty of Eva Marie Saint – it all looks amazing. Each incarnation of this film has looked better than its predecessor so it’s only fitting to say that this is the best it’s ever looked. I honestly don’t know if I can envision it looking any better. Suffice it to say that any fan will be as satisfied as I was.
Audio: How does it sound?
This has something for everyone with a new Dolby Atmos track, though we’re all given a DTS HD Master Audio 2.0 mix for the purists out there. It sounds natural, clean and robust – everything a movie should sound like. Bernard Hermann’s amazing score hits you from the opening scene and really doesn’t let go until the credits roll. I’d put this up there with some of the best movie scores out there. For those that have never experienced North by Northwest in all its HD glory (both audio and video), this is truly (pardon the pun) the way to see and hear it.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The movie has some legacy features included, but the real treat is a new feature. Let’s dig in.
- Audio Commentary – The feature-length commentary with the screenwriter Ernest Lehman is still intact and it as very interesting to begin with (obviously Hitchcock is no longer with us, as is Grant). Another nice touch is the addition of the music only soundtrack, while comepletely quiet at times, this showcases one of the nicer effects from Hitchcock’s movies and as mentioned above, Hermann’s score is one for the ages.
- North by Northwest: Cinematography, Score, and the Art of the Edit – While this doesn’t cover much new ground, we do get this new piece with some noted film historians giving us their .02 about Hitchcock, the film itself and everything in between. Can I say this again – how nice is it to have a new feature on a classic piece of cinema like this?
- Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest – Held over from the Blu-ray, this 40 minute long documentary gives us everything we’d want or need to know about the film, its ins and outs.
- The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style – We get a look at a handful of Hitchcock’s films (the Warner films like The Wrong Man, Strangers on a Train and Stage Fright and none of the Universal films are included) with some insight by noted directors like Curtis Hanson, William Friedken and Martin Scorsese.
- North by Northwest: One for the Ages – This contains many of the same contributors and looks a little more closely at the film itself. Individual shots are looked at as well as some camera angles and set design. Clearly Hitchcock was ahead of his time.
- A Guided Tour with Alfred Hitchcock – A bit of a tongue-in-cheek approach from the Blu-ray.
The Bottom Line
There’s simply nothing wrong with this movie. It’s nearly perfect in every way. It’s got something for everyone. Warner’s 4K disc has given the film a facelift (not that it needed it), it’s now presented in its original aspect ratio, we get a new Dolby Atmos mix along with a new feature. What’s not to love?
