North by Northwest celebrates its 65th anniversary by getting the 4K treatment from a freshly restored version of the film and it looks immaculate. We’re talking a film from 1959 that retains all its charm from the time, while also being elevated to visual heights that we as movie fans should be grateful are possible. When older films are able to be restored to this level it prolongs their life arguably forever. Often you’ll hear of old prints being found on the brink of deterioration and if they weren’t restored when they were found then they’d be lost forever. We tend to only hear about the success stories in this case, but it’d probably be heartbreaking as a fan to learn of the films we’ve lost for good over the years due to time taking its toll on the original prints.
But enough about that, let’s bring the focus back onto Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant spy thriller! North by Northwest is a film about a case of mistaken identity, when Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), an advertising executive, goes to a hotel for a meeting he’s kidnapped by a pair of thugs who take him to their boss as requested. Their boss, foreign spy, Phillip Vandamm (James Mason), doesn’t believe Thornhill when he says that he’s not the man Vandamm thinks he is, because Vandamm believes that Thornhill is a spy named Kaplan, who takes on various identities depending on the situation. He also believes Thornhill…er, Kaplan, has been pursuing him and is looking to put an end to it.
Thornhill escapes this precarious situation by the skin of his teeth, and then the real fun begins. As he tries to prove his innocence (Vandamm had his thugs liquor Thornhill up in an attempt to make it look like he died drinking and driving) Thornhill goes on a personal mission to find the real Kaplan and clear his name – little did he know that he’d also be at risk with falling for a woman named Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) along the way. That sets up enough to pique your interest without actually getting into anything of note, as it’s such a fun film to experience alongside Thornhill, who is just as oblivious to this world of spies as the audience is. Well, unless you’re an actual spy who likes to watch movies, in which case maybe you’ll yell at the screen going, “Ah, that’s not how we’d do it!” But for the rest of us it’s an incredibly fun ride.
North by Northwest has a bit of everything, from suspense to romance to action, all with enough comedy mixed in that there’s almost always a smile on your face even when on the edge of your seat. Even with so much going on the film never feels bloated or overstays its welcome. Thornhill is a rich business executive who is clearly used to getting what he wants, yet he never feels like a protagonist the audience can’t get on board with. Grant plays him so well that Thornhill comes off as a charming, endearing and often quite witty guy who we want to see succeed in getting out of this tangled web he’s found himself trapped in. The humour in the film is another surprising and incredibly well-done aspect, with the jokes flowing into the dialogue and being delivered effortlessly. Grant playing an incredibly drunk person interacting with the police is one of the best sequences in the film, and just top tier writing, acting and directing all around.
Everyone in the film is fantastic, with Eva Marie Saint playing the love interest superbly, Mason being incredibly convincing as the foreign spy trying to evade capture. He’s just evil enough, yet realistic in how he comes off. He’s not overblown and acts as though one would expect a foreign spy to act. Again, this is coming from someone who doesn’t know how a foreign spy should act, so forgive me if rubbing your hands together and maniacally laughing like Dr. Evil is how it actually is. I’m just saying, I think Mason does some solid work here. The rest of the supporting cast is also wonderful, with everyone just playing their parts perfectly.
The above are all reasons why this is viewed as one of Hitchcock’s best, and rightfully so. It truly is a brilliant film that holds up flawlessly even as we head towards seven decades later. If you’re a fan of movies, a fan of Hitchcock, or simply own a 4K Blu-ray player, then there’s no reason not to make sure that this movie isn’t added to your collection and celebrated for the masterpiece in filmmaking that it is.
Overall Movie Score: 5/5
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
As mentioned before, this is a film that deserved and received the best possible restoration treatment one could hope for. This 4K 2160p/HDR10 disc is just a visually stunning piece of work, much like the film itself. The charm of the time period remains across the board, but it’s elevated so strongly and so well that it really will just make fans of film so happy to see it in this condition. We often see strong 4K releases for current films, but when older films are properly restored and are able to be viewed at a level that rescues them from dirt, scratches, wear and added film grain then that’s when you really begin to see just what’s possible when the money and time are put into saving these cinematic gems.
The audio side is also spectacular, with a new Dolby Atmos mix that captures the score, dialogue and sound mix in gorgeous fashion. Nothing battles it out for superiority and all work together harmoniously to bring this film to life. When a movie is mainly a suspense thriller, but also has romance, action and comedy mixed in, then we’re talking a lot of different things being thrown at the audience at all times. The sound mix handles it all flawlessly, with a wonderful surround sound that just brings you into the picture even more than you’d think possible.
Special Features:
North by Northwest: Cinematography, Score and the Art of the Edit – Here we’ve got a new 23-minute feature that sees film historians Julie Kirgo and Jonathan Kuntz, film scholar Richard Edwards, film critic Pete Hammond, and a number of others talk about the impact of the film and other pleasantries and informative notes. It’s a fun watch, and something new on these releases is always welcome!
Legacy Special Features:
Audio Commentary – We’ve got a track by screenwriter Ernest Lehman that’s carried over from the 50th anniversary Blu-ray release. It’s a must-listen for fans of the film at one point or another!
Destination Hitchcock: The Making of North by Northwest – Here we’ve got a feature that’s just under 40-minutes and is also carried over from the Blu-ray. I’m always a fan of this though, as it’s great to have things in one place, and if you’re upgrading to 4K then it’s nice to have these features on the disc as well. Sure you may still keep your 50th anniversary Blu-ray, but you don’t want to have to dig it out just to watch a feature that could be – and should be – included on the latest release. A great watch as well!
The Master’s Touch: Hitchcock’s Signature Style – If you’ve never seen these special features then you’ve got a bounty here, as this one is just under an hour in length and delves into Hitchcock as a filmmaker overall. This is a masterclass on Hitchcock for filmmakers and film fans alike. A must watch!
North by Northwest: One for the Ages – This feature comes in at just over 25-minutes in length, and we’ve got directors Curtis Hanson, Francis Lawrence, Guillermo Del Toro, William Friedkin, and Christopher McQuerrie all talk about the film as a whole, breaking it down alongside Hitchcock’s filmmaking style. Another great watch!
A Guided Tour with Alfred Hitchcock – This is a 3-minute featurette that just sees Hitchcock promoting the film.
Disclaimer: A review copy of this Blu-ray was sent to me to cover in honest and truthful fashion.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents North by Northwest. Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock. Written by: Ernest Lehman. Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau, Adam Williams, Jessie Royce Landis. Running time: 136 Minutes. Released on 4K Blu-ray: Nov. 19, 2024.
About Brendan Campbell
