North by Northwest

After being unsettled by Vertigo it was a relief to be thrilled by North by Northwest. 

This is another technicolor delight. A New York of brightly painted taxi cabs and marbled hotels. Leather lined libraries, and cocktails. If Don Draper takes a 32&you DNA test then I am certain you will find Grant in his DNA. 

The prairies are wondrous A vast horizon over a sea of grain. The centre of the USA and Grant is as alone as a shipwrecked sailor on a raft

I didn't review it here. I have  within the last year watched His Girl Friday. I was amused by Grant's performance in that. Nearly 20 years later  Grant sill has it 

VanDam well...

I liked the fact that Grant's mother was a constant hindrance. Her disapproval and disdain never far away

It is despite being nearly a 75 years old  film is often funny - I particularly liked the auction sequence

One of the OAS, CIA agents is 

The scene when Grant escapes in the Taxi in NYC, and is asks off the driver If he can do anything about it. The Driver says yes...

Eve Sant Marie is radiant. Hitchcock's women always are 

I  am using the first names of the cast, as I have forgotten the names of the characters. Both Vertigo and NNW have a young blonde woman as the female lead. I did note that Eve and Kim despite being the same age.( They are both 26) It is apparent that Eve has more agency than Kim. Yes they have different backstories and backgrounds. Yet both are being used by men. Is perhaps class the difference-Kim is fleeing an abusive stepfather. Kim never reproaches Jimmy Stewart despite his public domination of her Eve lashes out at Grant in the auction scene Eve is able to use her attractiveness to manipulate the villain, and the hero in this story. Eve is spared the fall. 

I did'nt like the ending I thought Hitchcock cheated us 

I wonder why people don't use Mount Rushmore more often as a location- did NNW spoil it ?

A great adventure, a great film.