North by Northwest

North by Northwest is an espionage film with a humorous twist. The protagonist of the story, Roger Thornhill, is witty and the way he handles different situations qualifies the film as a comedy. The film was produced in 1959, but the effective use of suspense, humor, cinematography, and sound makes the film a postmodern pleasure.

Part 1

Cinematography

For a film produced in 1959, the film has excellent cinematography. The camera angles, shots, and lighting complement the plot of the film. The film adopts a specific range of camera techniques to create a feeling of suspense throughout the film. The film uses establishing shot, medium shots; closes ups shots, as well as reverse shots, to convey suspense to the viewers while maintaining credibility. Establishing shots are long shots that capture the characters and the environment; the film uses establishing shots to enable the viewers to get a glimpse of the environment and how the characters are interacting with the environment. For instance, the film starts with Roger Thornhill and his assistant getting in the city, establishing shots are used to show the surrounding. The scene in Mount Rushmore uses long shots to capture the chase, different camera angle show Roger and Eve chased across the monument. The long shots cover everything within the environment not just to show the beauty, but to show how hard it is for the two to escape.

Medium and close-up camera shots complement each other. They show the character’s authentic reaction to what is happening. For example, when Roger was kidnapped and taken to Mr. Townsend’s house, medium and close-up camera shots were used to capture his reactions to the allegations that he was Mr. Kaplan. Medium shots capture the dynamic between different characters and evoke interest in the viewers. I also enjoyed the intense scene in the train when Roger and Eve are flirting with each other, and the camera movement captures everything and makes viewers feel like they are part of the scene. Alternatively, the scene that involves a chase in the crop-dusting field is a remarkable scene which can only be captured by different approaches to cinematography. The cinematography adds to the feeling of suspense in the film. Without different camera angles, shots, lighting, and mise en scene, the suspense would not have been created.

Sound

From my perspective, the sound in the film is realistic. The suspenseful music contributes to the theme and adds to the richness of the plot. The film does not have external narration; the only non-diegetic sounds in the movie are the music scores used in certain scenes. The film has basic sound effects; the viewers can hear all sounds of the activities that the characters are doing. The viewers can hear footsteps, background noises, and other noises within the environment that make the plot more realistic. In the train station in Chicago scene, the viewers can hear every noise as the police engage in the frantic search for Roger.

The film uses music to intensify certain scenes, to evoke suspense the film uses slow and dark music that are common in thriller movies. When Roger was being kidnapped, the music used increased suspense, and the viewer could tell that Roger was in trouble. However, when Roger and Eve were getting cozy on the train, soft music was used to enhance the scene.

Montage

As I watched the film, it became obvious that the montage used shows the reactions of characters in the film in a way that adds to the suspense. The film is a thriller with a twist; hence the director edited some parts that would make the film drag. Thematic montage is seen in the art gallery scene when Roger goes to the gallery, and he is surprised to find Eve, Mr. Vandamm, and Leonard. The camera follows Roger as he talks, but the camera concentrates on each of the characters individually as the conversation develops. The director used associational editing, he does not necessarily focus on the character that is speaking but instead, focuses on the person whom the conservation will affect the most. In the scene, Roger felt betrayed when he found out that Eve was working with Mr. Vandamm; hence he spoke with the intention of hurting Eve who is shown tearing up in the scene.

The film also uses both continual and classical cuts. After Roger was arrested in the gallery, he was taken to the airport by the police, and the journey only takes a few seconds because of the classic cuts that are meant to sustain the continuity of the film. The cuts after scenes and between scenes provide the viewer with a continuous plot as if the film was a stage play. The chronological editing maintains relationships between scenes and characters. The montage is perfect; it is made up of fast and slow scenes when necessary to build the suspense and evoke curiosity in the viewer. Some scenes are perfectly edited such that I was on the edge of the seat waiting for the next scene. In the Mount Rushmore scene when Roger was holding on the cliff as Leonard was stepping on Roger’s hand, the film goes slowly to build suspense, and many viewers thought that Roger and Eve would fall off the cliff and die.

Part 2

After watching North by Northwest , I was intrigued by the director. I watched his other films, notably Notorious and the Birds . It is amazing that such excellent films were produced in 1959. The storyline is catchy just like today’s movies, and the cinematography is impeccable. There is no doubt that Alfred Hitchcock was a great producer.

North by Northwest was a bit different from the previous works of Alfred Hitchcock. While Hitchcock came to be known as “the Master of Suspense,” he tried to keep things light in North by Northwest. In Notorious , Grant who plays Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest is the lead character, but in Notorious he is bitter and has little humor and charm as seen in North by Northwest . In the other movies, Hitchcock focuses mainly on the thrilling parts of the storyline.

Cary Grant was the perfect character for Roger Thornhill; he was witty, charming, and funny even when in trouble. Hitchcock chose to work with Cary Grant not only because he was the perfect fit for the character, but because he had experience after working Grant in the previous movies. Gary’s onscreen chemistry with Eve Marie Saint is on point, and their interesting encounters provide a break from the main storyline. Saint, a lovely and intelligent actress, would play a perfect supporting role for Gary.

Part 3: My Criteria for Quality in Film

1) A quality film has an engaging storyline. Some storylines have been over-exploited such that watching another film with the same storyline is just too boring. In North by Northwest, the viewers are intrigued because they have no clue what is happening in the film just like Roger who is confused too. A unique storyline captures the attention of the viewers even before the viewer can evaluate the film based on the other qualities.

2) Secondly, a quality film has a perfect blend of visuals and sound. The cinematography and montage should be complemented by the sounds and the music used in the film. In North by Northwest, the director used music to create suspense and the perfect camera angles and editing to capture everything in slow motion to create the desired effect in the viewer.

3) A quality film also has interesting characters with good chemistry. The chemistry between Roger and Eve in North by Northwest made the film more than the usual thrillers produced by Alfred Hitchcock. Good chemistry between characters makes the film appear realistic rather than scripted out. Good chemistry should not just exist between the main characters, but among other supporting characters in the film.

4) Lastly, a quality film has the right ending. As the viewers watch the film, they can predict how the film will end; or rather they have an idea of how they wish the film would end. A quality film should not end predictably; it should end in a way that the viewer sees it as a victory or a wonderful surprise.

Reference

Hitchcock, A. (1959). North by Northwest (Film). United States: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.