SPOILERS DOWN THE PATH; THE DISCUSSION BELOW WILL NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE WITHOUT IT.
TREAD CAREFULLY. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
North by Northwest is one of Alfred Hitchcock's penultimate-years' films that came along Vertigo and Psycho. It features Cary Grant as Roger Thornhill; an ad executive manager wrongly labelled as a spy under disguise - an accusation that rams him through a convex of bizarre events, including murder! Does he get out of it or otherwise is the question of the crux.
Legendary Cary Grant's performance as the leading man is extremely delightful. His tendency to pass sarcastically funny remarks during tense situations is a highlight for sure! The odds are always against him, be it being kidnapped, bamboozled, trialed or pursued. Tired of being a useless decoy, his investigation into one Mr. George Kaplan keeps you glued to the screen at all times. His flirtation and romance with Eve (Eva Marie Saint) is enjoyable.
Staging and blocking by the acclaimed director requires no introduction. The screenplay mimics the core of the premise, with constantly unexpected twists and turns coming from the opposition! It's the little details embedded within the narration that provides the motion picture an 'ahead-of-time' quality. Dialogues are structured, sound and strong. Scenes such as the auction gallery disruption, gun blanks demonstration and crop-duster plane chase are riveting! Climactic escapade staged around Mount Rushmore is grippingly marvelous! Not to forget, Saul Bass' title sequence is superb too.