For this month’s Sidewalk Film 101 selection, we’re spotlighting one of classic Hollywood’s most epic thrill rides, Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.
Made in the late 1950s at the tail end of the most significant period of Hitchcock’s storied career — right in between Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960) — North by Northwest, shot in beautiful VistaVision widescreen, is one of the most iconic movies ever made. From the opening titles designed by the legendary Saul Bass, Hitchcock’s grip never lessens as he guides his audience from one expertly crafted and entertaining set piece after another, as Cary Grant’s beleaguered advertising executive is mistaken for a secret agent, framed for a murder by a ring of spies, and sent across the country to clear his name. Along the way, there’s the famous crop-duster chase, Eva Marie Saint as a woman with a mysterious agenda, and a climactic showdown atop Mount Rushmore versus main baddie James Mason (and a young Martin Landau as his henchman). It’s top-notch film entertainment, made to be seen and savored on the big screen.
Before you join us for North by Northwest on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. or Sunday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m., check out these links to some supplementary reading:
- An essay from Brian Eggert at Deep Focus Review, digging into the film and how it fits in Hitchcock’s greater oeuvre: https://www.deepfocusreview.com/definitives/north-by-northwest/
- And here’s a link that goes deep into detail about the film and provides many more links to explore, compiling interviews and all manners of production-related ephemera — including storyboards and diagrams of camera angles during some of the film’s most memorable sequences: https://cinephiliabeyond.org/north-by-northwest-quite-possibly-the-most-entertaining-hitchcock-ever/
Join us at either of our Sidewalk Film 101 screenings for a special intro by the Sidewalk Cinema programming director, Corey Craft, before the film. We hope to see you there!
Get tickets to our Sidewalk Film 101 screenings of North by Northwest here.