IMDb > North by Northwest (1959)
North by Northwest
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North by Northwest (1959) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 59 | slideshow) Videos (see all 9)
North by Northwest (1959) -- Alfred Hitchcock gives a tour of the film in this trailer for the Special Edition DVD and Blu-Ray release.
North by Northwest (1959) -- Trailer two for this Hitchcock classic
North by Northwest (1959) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 16% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Ernest Lehman (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for North by Northwest on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 September 1959 (Japan) more
Tagline:
Alfred Hitchcock takes you.... North by Northwest! more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(63 articles)
User Comments:
Classic thriller - I love it! more (366 total)
US TV Schedule:

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

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)
more
Runtime:
131 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
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

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The man speaking on the radio in the room where Thornhill is being detained is Norm Heffron, a Rapid City radio-TV reporter on KOTA AM 1380 and KOTA TV channel 3. more
Goofs:
Continuity: As Thornhill walks along the 20th Century Limited at Grand Central Terminal, he passes a car that's numbered 10006. But after he gets on the train and looks out the window, we see on the adjacent track another New York Central passenger car that also is number 10006. Two passenger cars of the same railroad will never have the same number. more
Quotes:
Judge Anson B. Flynn: How long have you known your client?
Victor Larrabee: Seven years, Your Honor.
Judge Anson B. Flynn: Do you know him to be a reasonable man?
Victor Larrabee: Absolutely.
Clara Thornhill: Ha!
Roger Thornhill: Mother.
Judge Anson B. Flynn: And you believe there is some...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Tango (1993) more
Soundtrack:
Singin' in the Rain more

FAQ

Was VanDamm's mountain home a real home? Was it designed by Frank Lloyd Wright?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Is this movie based on a book?
more
36 out of 46 people found the following comment useful.
Classic thriller - I love it!, 27 July 2002
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

Roger Thornhill is an advertising man. However when he is kidnapped it is clear that he has been mistaken for someone else. When he tries to find out what's going he is framed for murder and sets out on a cross country run to survive. Along the way he meets danger, adventure and beauty in the shape of the mysterious Eve Kendall. However when he finds the truth he is drawn towards a final showdown with the dangerous Vandamm.

Rightly regarded as a classic and can more than compete with today's thrillers that too often rely on special effects to make up for the lack of genuine suspense. Here the plot requires a great deal of faith, but it is brought off with such style and energy that it is totally absorbing. The action is great and the several main scenes have become part of popular culture and are regularly spoofed on TV etc. The romance works as well and Thornhill and Kendall exchange plenty of good scenes.

The dialogue is great and the direction is faultless from Hitchcock. Many thrillers run over 2 hours - but only the good ones can stand up to repeated viewings. Northwest can take back to back viewings it is so good. The plot may have been put together as shooting went (as was the case with at least

one key scene) but it all stands together well. The acting is also perfect, Grant's rebirth as a thriller man is brilliant and is one of Hitchcock's best everyman characters. Marie-Saint is yet another dangerous blonde but is very good. James `The Voice' Mason is excellent, while Landau adds great homosexual subtext to his character. The ever present Leo G Carroll IS Mr Waverly but is still enjoyable and even support roles like Landis as Thornhill's mother is perfection!

Over 40 years on this film has barely dated. Hearing the music is enough to make me want to see it again, while the direction, set pieces, dialogue and performances are all pitch perfect. A wonderful thriller for young and old - no sex, no swearing, all thrills.

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