Movie #40: Released in 1959, 136 minutes, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Had never seen the whole thing.

LetterBoxd Score: 4 stars

This movie is a lot of fun. I laughed out loud, alone in the basement, at the final shot of the movie. Between this and Some Like It Hot, it feels like by 1959 the Hayes act was a joke and everyone was in on it.

I also feel like this movie encapsulates a certain kind of idea – the situation that is so absurd it is hopeless to try and explain its reality to a skeptic. I’m thinking here of being kidnapped, forced to drink a bottle of bourbon, put into a car, and then (nearly) forced to drive off a cliff. Meeting a high ranking international official in a crowded room, then having them get killed by an unseen assailant throwing a knife into their back, which you pull out in alarm right as the cameras flash. Maybe also, going out into the plains of Illinois and have a crop duster try to assassinate you, so you have to steal a car. To be sure, this is a minor idea compared to something like Rashomon, but I feel like this idea now belongs to North by Northwest. Indeed, I made a joke recently while driving an attorney friend around that I should accelerate through a red light then leap out the door and let him take the wrap because, who would believe the reality? I said I was going to “North by Northwest” him.

What else has this movie got? More funny bits – trying to get arrested at the auction is a favorite for me. It’s also got some striking visuals; the aforementioned assassination job in the fields, but I also remember distinctly a shot from up in the sky scrapers looking down on Cary Grant. Endless setups where Cary Grant shrugs off embarrassing situations. Martin Landau!

Why would someone think it’s one of the ten greatest films ever made?

It’s a really strong entry in a certain genre of film. For me, it has two main problems – I don’t really feel the chemistry between Grant and Saint – and it’s ultimately a bit weightless.

Next up: La Dolce Vita