North by Northwest – Blu-ray Review
The Film:
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. The picture for which you are about to read a review for, contains suspense, murder, and intrigue.
That’s what I love about Alfred Hitchcock, the fact that he delivered films that were A-list at the time of their production, featuring some of the biggest stars at the time as well, yet, treated each picture as if he was making a Drive-In B-movie. He was a showman through and through. But that doesn’t cheapen his films, in fact, North by Northwest is a superb film, and a film they don’t make anymore. The film is filled with great scenes after great scenes, but what it all comes down to is the actors. Hitchcock used some of the biggest stars to headline his films, but usually they were challenged by unknown, but still quality actors. Cary Grant is a Hollywood star we really don’t have anymore, as he carries himself with dignity, grace, wit, humor, and almost all of those things are displayed here.
Again, as great as Grant is here, his banter between Eva Marie Saint is the driving blood of the film. Saint, who up until 1959, was mostly a television actress, holds her own against the charismatic Grant. Hitchcock, who’s known for picking blonds for he lead roles for women in his films, might be noted for his great staging of scenes and suspense, needs more credit for his casting choices. Eva Marie Saint is radiant here, both as a beauty and an actress. The scene worth watching, if you want to see a good verbal sparing, with each of them not revealing too much, is the one on the train.
Eve: I tipped the steward five dollars to seat you here if you should come in.
Roger: Is that a proposition?
Eve: I never discuss love on an empty stomach.
Or…
Roger: The moment I meet an attractive woman, I have to start pretending I have no desire to make love to her.
Eve: What makes you think you have to conceal it?
Roger: She might find the idea objectionable.
Eve: Then again, she might not.
There’s a lot of great exchanges between them, and let’s credit the screenwriter, Ernest Lehman, for giving them such sexually charged, and fun dialogue. The dialogue is so good in this film, and not just with Saint and Grant. Grant and Jessie Royce Landis, who plays Grant’s mother in the film, have plenty of great banter.
Hitchcock reached this so-called pinnacle in the late 1950s to early 1960s, with Vertigo, Psycho, Birds, and his TV series, but some recognize North by Northwest as a great film, but pass over it when talking about this time frame. Not a chance for me. This film is as good as any Hitchcock, perhaps the benchmark for his wrong man genre, crafting a film that is a whirlwind experience of suspense, intrigue, and comedy. Hitchcock is known as a master, and absolutely true, but even when he has a brilliant composer, like Bernard Herrmann, Hitch tells him to stop during the cornfield sequence. A scene deliberately set-up for suspense, and without music, it’s still thrilling. This is a textbook example of how to make a thriller. See, they really don’t make them like they use too.
The Blu-ray:
Audio/Video: This is North by Northwest’s 50th Anniversary, and having owned the older DVD version from the late 1990s, all I can say is: wow. This is a beautiful restoration, hands down. Colors are rich and alive (man, how I miss Technicolor), details are extremely high (I can see the fabric in Grant’s suit!), and no print damage. Most importantly, it looks like it should. No digital manipulation. You know it’s film. Take a look at the cornfield scene: it’s so rich and detailed, this is why Blu-ray exists.
The audio is pretty robust too, for an older film. The original mono track is remade into a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, and impressively, it rocks. Music swells from all speakers, loud and in your face, and even some rear speaker activity. You won’t mistake this for a modern sound design (oh, how foley mixes have come a long way), but when all things are considered, it’s a superb attempt.
Warners have put North by Northwest in one of those fancy digibooks. There’s a pretty cool 40-some odd page book, filled with information on the cast and crew, rare photos, and fun quotes.
Commentary: Screenwriter Ernest Lehman is here providing a soft, but informative track. This track was on the old DVD release, but for Hitchcock fans and fans of the old Hollywood way of making films, here’s a great lesson.
The Master’s Touch: In SD, this is a great hour long documentary on everything Hitch. From his style, to his films, to his career, Scorsese, del Toro, and Friedkin offer up analysis that’s really worth the watch. While it’s surface level at times, especially for long-time Hitch fans, it’s worth the time, regardless.
Cary Grant: A Class Apart: This 90-minute PBS film on the British actor never sugar coats anything from Grant’s life. From failed marriages, to L SD use, to his legendary career, nothing is missed. Fans of the actor will find no better documentary on the man. Perhaps the disc’s best extra.
Destination Hitchcock: Eva Marie Saint hosts this look back at the making of the film with Lehman and Hitchcock’s daughter. Great insights, rare stills and video, and a fantastic piece. Runs 40 minutes in SD.
North by Northwest: One for the Ages: Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential and White Dog) pairs with William Friedkin and others for an examination of the film from start to finish, with 20 some minutes. This is a gift for all you film school students. Full of great analysis and topics of discussion.
Trailers, a wonderful Music Only Track for Herrmann’s score, and some HD Stills round out this fantastic package.
Conclusion: The first Hitchcock film on Blu-ray is a radiant success. This great film is beautifully restored, with a wealth of quality extras. A must own.
The Film: Rating: 
The Blu-ray: Rating:
