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North by Northwest

Play trailer 2:02 Poster for North by Northwest 1959 2h 16m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 119 Reviews 94% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
This classic suspense film finds New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) pursued by ruthless spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) after Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent. Hunted relentlessly by Vandamm's associates, the harried Thornhill ends up on a cross-country journey, meeting the beautiful and mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) along the way. Soon Vandamm's henchmen close in on Thornhill, resulting in a number of iconic action sequences.
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North by Northwest

North by Northwest

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Critics Consensus

Gripping, suspenseful, and visually iconic, this late-period Hitchcock classic laid the groundwork for countless action thrillers to follow.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) The plotting is tightly wound and the thrills are executed with devilish panache. Aug 29, 2022 Full Review Pauline Kael The New Yorker Though not as cleverly original as Strangers on a Train, or as cleverly sexy as Notorious, this is one of Hitchcock’s most entertaining American thrillers. Jul 6, 2022 Full Review Barbara L. Wilson Philadelphia Inquirer Alfred Hitchcock's new thriller, North by Northwest, is one of those no holds barred films. For better than two hours, he lets the Technicolor melodrama ramble across the VistaVision screen while gleefully setting traps for his hero. Jun 9, 2021 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson Made just a year after "Vertigo" and a year before "Psycho," it's a breezy and dashing thriller with very little of the typecast weird and grotesque symbolism that sometimes alienates Hitchcock films from centrist audiences. Rated: 5/5 Jul 23, 2025 Full Review Chris Barsanti PopMatters The last time Alfred Hitchcock delivered a big success of a film with stars on the marquee and an A-lister behind the typewriter. Jan 8, 2025 Full Review Harry Solomons Loud and Clear Reviews One of Hitchcock’s crowning achievements, North By Northwest remains as fun as ever and serves as the finest example of a genre it helped to create. Rated: 4.5/5 Jan 8, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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John B Amazing to see on the big screen! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/28/25 Full Review Jo Ann S One of Hitchcock's best!! Great story, suspense, drama, romance! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/11/24 Full Review Joan Classic Hitchcock and Cary Grant! Suspenseful and we'll written and directed! Not to be missed on the big screen! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/22/24 Full Review Marco A My favorite Hitchcock movie and one of my all time favorites overall. Just pure fun and enjoyment, perfect balance of thrills/adventure/comedy/romance with great dialogues. A film that had the style of Bond before Bond, but that would have been one of the top Bond films all time as well. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/23/21 Full Review Anna E Incredible cast. Plotline that can not be guessed and holds you throughout the film with a goid pace throughout. Wonderful scenery and iconic settings. Cary grant is humorous and wise. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/09/25 Full Review Philswif P 99% of the movie is incredible, and then you see the ending... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/08/25 Full Review Read all reviews
North by Northwest

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Cast & Crew

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Cary Grant

Roger O. Thornhill

Eva Marie Saint

Eve Kendall

James Mason

Phillip Vandamm

Leo G. Carroll

The Professor

Martin Landau

Leonard

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North by Northwest

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North by Northwest

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Movie Info

Synopsis This classic suspense film finds New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) pursued by ruthless spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) after Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent. Hunted relentlessly by Vandamm's associates, the harried Thornhill ends up on a cross-country journey, meeting the beautiful and mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) along the way. Soon Vandamm's henchmen close in on Thornhill, resulting in a number of iconic action sequences.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Producer
Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter
Ernest Lehman
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 17, 1959, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
May 19, 2024
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 17, 2009
Runtime
2h 16m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.66:1)
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