North by Northwest (1959)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason

Synopsis:
A high-powered advertising executive is mistaken for a spy, framed for murder and pursued across the country.

Impressions:
It's difficult to rank Hitchcock's films given how many great movies he has to his credit, but this has to fit somewhere near the top of the list. It's incredibly well-written with some lovely snark-to-snark combat. It's great fun watching Cary Grant getting kicked around like a hackey sack but still keeping his tongue razor-sharp for some great quips. James Mason is a fine match as the villain Vandamm. Martin Landau also makes a good impression as henchman Leonard in one of his early roles. Eva Marie Saint also isn't bad as femme fatale Eve. There are some great sequences, particularly the infamous crop duster chase and the hilarity of the auction. There was a lot of wrangling with the censors in the process of getting this made and Hitchcock really pushed the boundaries of what he could get away with at the time. I also want to credit Bernard Herrmann for a memorable score. This is one of the great spy thrillers and an all-around excellent movie that's a worthy addition to any collection.

Rating:
Own It