The Art of Survival: North by Northwest

Some classics never feel old. Rashomon, Lawrence of Arabia, Gilda, to name a few. And then there are those which may need to be watched in context for a full appreciation of what they are. In this case, I refer specifically to Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest.

Starring Cary Grant, James Mason, and Eva Marie Saint, as a comedy and a character piece this film will probably never get old. The script is packed with zingers (but not overstuffed), and those zingers are delivered so very well. As a case of mistaken identity and counterespionage, it's a fine and thoroughly enjoyable film, especially because none of the characters are stupid, or ever get stupid for the sake of easy 'drama'. As a thriller, I can't say I was particularly thrilled, which is where watching in context (of era) may come into play. Then again, it could just be that, as a thriller, North by Northwest just - horror of horrors! - isn't that tight. It happens. Even with that factor lacking, it's still better than the average film. The players are fantastic across the board, and the only time I got distracted from the dialogue was in Grant and Saint's first love scene, wherein he has to very awkwardly hold his massive, giant hands in order to not obscure her petite face. It was quite funny, really. And James Mason is so very, very suave and sexy - if there's a male edition of the femme fatale, this is it.

As someone immersed in classic film from childhood, I was happy to experience a new (to me) Bernard Herrmann score. Herrmann worked regularly for Hitchcock, but I know him best from his regular collaborations with Ray Harryhausen. He was one of those guys like Ennio Morricone, who scored an absurd variety of films, and though he died in the late '70's, people have continued to use his compositions posthumously - Quentin Tarantino used Herrmann's work for two sequences in Kill Bill Vol. 1. What I'm trying to say is, any film with a Herrmann score makes me happy.

The most satisfying thing about North by Northwest? Finally finding out how Cary Grant got away from that crop duster. The most disappointing thing about North by Northwest? Finding out that the title is not in fact a clever metaphor or analogy, but simply a literal description, kind of like John Wayne's North to Alaska. Unlike North to Alaska, however, this film's title is one of the biggest product placement coups of all time, which I have to admit amuses me on a pure level.

Speaking of James Mason, someone borrowed my beloved 2-disc special edition copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea back when I was living in Oakville, and never gave it back or forgot that they had it when I asked everyone, "do you have my copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". If you have a copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, starring James Mason and Kirk Douglas, that you don't remember buying and are not sure why you would own such a thing, please look me up. I do miss it so.