North by Northwest in 70mm

Hitchcock plays with the concept of the wrong man, a frequent theme in his narratives, in one of the most admired and entertaining of his mid-career films. North by Northwest stars four-time collaborator Grant as Roger O. Thornhill, a suave ad executive whose identity is mistaken for a government agent. Ruthless spy Philip Vandamm (James Mason) is after Thornhill; on a separate mission is a group of secret agents who follows Thornhill across the country. On the run, Thornhill meets Eve Kendall, a mesmerizing, peculiar woman whose mysterious identity amplifies the level of danger he is in. The film’s ironically ecstatic tone parallels the enchanting aspect of Grant’s portrayal of Thornhill—elegantly sarcastic with a witty sense of humor. Processed in Technicolor, this spectacular... thriller showcases now-iconic action sequences such as the crop duster plane chase and climax at Mount Rushmore.

Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation.

1959 | 136 min. | USA | Color | English | 70mm

DIRECTED BY: Alfred Hitchcock

WRITTEN BY: Ernest Lehman

WITH: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis