North by Northwest | The Boneyard

North by Northwest

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been going on a bit of a Hitchcock bent, and watched North by Northwest this past weekend. Taken in the context of films of that era (1959) it's a pretty amazing film. Eva Marie Saint, holy cow does she radiate on the screen. I had never heard of her before watching this, but after watching it I have no idea how she isn't more well-known today. Cary Grant is quite good, and the visuals of the film are amazing.

My question - Hitchcock fans, what other films are must-sees?
 

Dove

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EvaMarieSaint-now.jpg


Okaaaaaaaay
 

FfldCntyFan

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If you want to see Eva Marie Saint at her best you need to watch 'On the Waterfront'.

Must see Hitchcock movies in my opinion are (in no particular order) Notorious, Rear Window, Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Strangers On a Train. Rebecca (although while Hitchcock did direct this, I don't fully view this as a Hitchcock movie) won the academy award as best picture so may well be worth the time invested. The story wasn't exactly my taste but it was extremely well done.
 

Waquoit

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An oldie I really enjoyed was The Lady Vanishes. Rear Window is cool. I don't get the love for Vertigo.
 
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been going on a bit of a Hitchcock bent, and watched North by Northwest this past weekend. Taken in the context of films of that era (1959) it's a pretty amazing film. Eva Marie Saint, holy cow does she radiate on the screen. I had never heard of her before watching this, but after watching it I have no idea how she isn't more well-known today. Cary Grant is quite good, and the visuals of the film are amazing.

My question - Hitchcock fans, what other films are must-sees?

In addition to your comments on North by Northwest, James Mason and Martin Landau are big assets to this film playing the two highest profile baddies. I love James Mason’s last line in the movie, something like “No fair using real bullets”.

While there are other Hitchcock films that are well worth watching, here are my top 10 in no particular order.

The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
Rebecca
Foreign Correspondent
Lifeboat
Notorious
Rear Window
Vertigo
North by Northwest
Psycho
 
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In addition to your comments on North by Northwest, James Mason and Martin Landau are big assets to this film playing the two highest profile baddies. I love James Mason’s last line in the movie, something like “No fair using real bullets”.

While there are other Hitchcock films that are well worth watching, here are my top 10 in no particular order.

The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
Rebecca
Foreign Correspondent
Lifeboat
Notorious
Rear Window
Vertigo
North by Northwest
Psycho

I have Rear Window and the recent Hitchcock film staring Anthony Hopkins coming next.
 

Waquoit

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Don't forget the little-known sequel, Rear Window Defogger.
 
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Don't forget "The Birds", which I would certainly put in the top five Hitchcock films. I once read that Hitchcock had to make major compromises on the film's ending, as he went way over budget. He wanted the last scene to be set on the Golden Gate, with all the birds lining the bridge.
 
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Don't forget "The Birds", which I would certainly put in the top five Hitchcock films. I once read that Hitchcock had to make major compromises on the film's ending, as he went way over budget. He wanted the last scene to be set on the Golden Gate, with all the birds lining the bridge.

I knew someone would mention "The Birds" as one of their favorites. Just as Waquoit doesn't get the love for Vertigo, I don't care much for "The Birds". It just doesn't do anything for me. Lots of Hitchcock movies beyond my top 10 that I would much rather see.
 
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Just saw Rear Window - exceptional film, might now be my favorite Hitchcock. I'm going to give it another viewing to try to pick up on stuff I'm sure I missed. There's a very good mini-documentary on the DVD about the making of the film. I guess many feel that Rear Window was Hitchcock at the top of his game. Grace Kelly, holy does she ever resonate on the screen. I also now have Notorious to view, so looking forward to that too.
 
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Just saw Rear Window - exceptional film, might now be my favorite Hitchcock. I'm going to give it another viewing to try to pick up on stuff I'm sure I missed. There's a very good mini-documentary on the DVD about the making of the film. I guess many feel that Rear Window was Hitchcock at the top of his game. Grace Kelly, holy does she ever resonate on the screen. I also now have Notorious to view, so looking forward to that too.

Rear Window is indeed exceptional filmmaking. Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Thelma Ritter make a great team, and Jeff Corey as Stewart's detective friend has some good interplay with them as well. The only one I might like better is Foreign Correspondent, which has one great Hitchcock set piece after another.
 
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I always enjoyed hitchcocks Rope. 80 minutes filmed in 10 takes. Way ahead of its time for 1948.
 
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I always enjoyed hitchcocks Rope. 80 minutes filmed in 10 takes. Way ahead of its time for 1948.

I believe Rope was also Hitchcock's first color movie. It's certainly a solid film, and also the first Hitchcock movie with James Stewart in it. Hitchcock moves the camera to a dark or innocuous spot on the screen whenever one take ends and the next begins. I haven't watched Rope in several years, but I always found myself looking for these switches, and you can see them if you look for them.
 

Waquoit

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The Lady Vanishes is streaming on Netflix. I enjoy old movies that are witty and clever like this one.
 

storrsroars

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I knew someone would mention "The Birds" as one of their favorites. Just as Waquoit doesn't get the love for Vertigo, I don't care much for "The Birds". It just doesn't do anything for me. Lots of Hitchcock movies beyond my top 10 that I would much rather see.

Without "The Birds" we'd have never had this:
 
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The Lady Vanishes is streaming on Netflix. I enjoy old movies that are witty and clever like this one.

For those who like The Lady Vanishes, another British movie from that general time period that is worth checking out is Night Train to Munich. Both films were written by Sydney Gilliat and Frank Launder. While Night Train to Munich is not directed by Hitchcock, it is very much in the Hitchcockian thriller tradition. By the way, both films feature the British cricket mad characters Charters and Caldicott, played by Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne. Charters and Caldicott proved to be so popular in The Lady Vanishes that Gilliat and Launder used them again as supporting characters in Night Train to Munich.
 

Waquoit

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For those who like The Lady Vanishes, another British movie from that general time period that is worth checking out is Night Train to Munich...

Thanks for the tip. It's available on Netflix streaming,
 
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Grace Kelly, holy does she ever resonate on the screen. I also now have Notorious to view, so looking forward to that too.

How to Catch a Thief, which I think is Hitchcock, is worth watching just to see Grace Kelly at her best. Best looking Hollywood actress ever, dressing to kill, with Carey Grant, playing a man's man role, as her leading man. Love the movie. It's not classic Hitchcock, but it's a fun movie.
 
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How to Catch a Thief, which I think is Hitchcock, is worth watching just to see Grace Kelly at her best. Best looking Hollywood actress ever, dressing to kill, with Carey Grant, playing a man's man role, as her leading man. Love the movie. It's not classic Hitchcock, but it's a fun movie.

To Catch a Thief is indeed Hitchcock. You're right, it's not classic Hitchcock, but a thoroughly fun movie to watch.
 

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Notorious is great, Birds is most excellent. Psycho is actually a little scary.
Suspicion. Rebecca. Strangers on a Train. Marnie.
Hitchcock liked strong leading men and cool hot blondes.
.

Orsen Welles made a few great Hitchcock-type films.
The Third Man, The Stranger, Lady from Shanghai, Touch of Evil.
 

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