My Movies, My Thoughts

Philadelphia Story...the Intellectual Romantic Comedy

2013-01-27T19:06:00.002-08:00

The Philadelphia Story 1940 #44 on the AFI 100 Films List--10th Anniversary List

As we are working our way through the top 100 movies of all time, we have been choosing films rather randomly to watch...depending on what mood or frame of mind we are in at that point in time.

This weekend, we have been watching our way through the Oscar nominated films for 2013, and after seeing two with serious subject matter, "Silver Linings Playbook" (which I highly recommend) and "The Beasts of the Southern Wild," I decided we needed a nice romantic comedy. And, as we've watched many on the list already, we were down to "The Philadelphia Story."

As far as being one of the best of all time, it was unclear to me at first just how this ended up on the list. From reading a bit of what others have said on the internet, it was a remarkable film for its time because it dealt with divorce and re-marriage during a time when there were tight regulations about what could and should be shown on the silver screen.

As the film unfolds, it shows itself to be an intellectually funny film with loads of witty dialogue and a few tight situations that make for smart comedy. I'm always a fan of Jimmy Stewart, who won an Oscar for his performance, and Cary Grant. And, I think that Katharine Hepburn carries her roles well.

I have to admit, this would not likely have been a movie that we would have chosen without some encouragement...so, I'm glad it's on the list. There is a scene in the beginning where Cary Grant shoves Katharine Hepburn down by the face (I know it sounds awful...but it is in a humorous context) that is a classic scene.

My biggest critism is the title. Nearly the entire film is shot in one location, and other than the fact that the writers want you to know that Katharine Hepburn's character is playing a socialite from Philadelphia, I'm not sure the title suites the movie. It seems too big...too boring...too serious. I think I'd go with something that says it is classy, yet funny. Maybe that's why they renamed the later version from 1956 "High Society." I agree...it is a much better title!

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My Movies, My Thoughts: Prepping for 31 Days of Oscar!

2013-01-12T20:10:00.001-08:00

My Movies, My Thoughts: Prepping for 31 Days of Oscar!: With the Academy Award nominations having been announced this past week, now is a great time to catch up on all those movies that you though...

Prepping for 31 Days of Oscar!

2013-01-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

With the Academy Award nominations having been announced this past week, now is a great time to catch up on all those movies that you thought you might like to see and never got around to it! I love to watch those movies that have been nominated that I missed at the theater...and there are quite a few! "The Impossible" is at the top of my list...maybe because I'm a big fan of Ewan McGregor!! http://theimpossible-movie.com/

TCM's 31 Days of Oscar is a great way to view some wonderful films, and celebrate your love of movies at the same time. Check it out at http://www.tcm.com/2013/31days/teaser/index.html

My Movies, My Thoughts: M.A.S.H. is painless humor

2013-01-06T19:51:00.001-08:00

My Movies, My Thoughts: M.A.S.H. is painless humor: M.A.S.H. 1970 #54 AFI Top 100 List The funny and rather messed up main characters of M.A.S.H. played by Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould...

M.A.S.H. is painless humor

2013-01-06T19:50:00.003-08:00

M.A.S.H. 1970 #54 AFI Top 100 List
The funny and rather messed up main characters of M.A.S.H. played by Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould make their way through the Korean War in a lighthearted and often clever way, even though the not so pleasant side of war looms just off to the sides of the movie as it only slightly deals with such tough topics as suicide, mental illness and drug abuse. With names like Hawkeye, Hot Lips, Trapper, Radar, Painless, Dish and Spearchucker, you can only imagine the zaney antics that the characters get into what seems more like stream of conciousness episodic humor. With parents that were die hard M.A.S.H. fans, I personally grew up watching the television series, which makes this movie a hard one for me to watch objectively...as I spent the entire time trying to correlate it with its tv spin off! For Brian, he had never seen the movie, so it was a treat. Pay attention to what this movie is trying to say...don't take life too seriously!

My Movies, My Thoughts: Caught up in the movies!

2013-01-06T16:45:00.001-08:00

My Movies, My Thoughts: Caught up in the movies!: Getting caught up in the movies might not be as easy as you might think. Especially if you are behind as far as we are! The goal: watch all ...

Caught up in the movies!

2013-01-06T16:43:00.002-08:00

Getting caught up in the movies might not be as easy as you might think. Especially if you are behind as far as we are! The goal: watch all 100 of AFI's 100 top films of all time. It sounds like the making of a great plan...watch 100 movies in a year. Why not? Should be easy for people who love watching movies, right?

Only 20 movies watched...out of 100. It was well past a year, and there was no hope in sight of getting back on track before the end of 2012 with all the holiday events, shopping and family gatherings with no time for movie watching. And, just when all hope was about to be lost, my wonderful husband Brian decided he would help make it a priority...so we watched...we laughed...we cried...sometimes we were even confused...and we did it. We got caught up, or at least have put a decent dent in the list.

So, in a week, give or take a day or two, we watched 11 movies! Here's the list, and my brief thoughts on each one, the good and the bad!

Raging Bull, 1980 #4 on AFI Top 100 List
This is pretty high on the list, and you can see why because of the great acting from Robert De Niro! Raw is the word that best describes his character and how he attacks life...because it is an attack on life and all those who happen to fall into his path. It's a tough subject, and hard film to watch. I was shocked to see that it was number four on the list as I had never even heard of this film!

Lawrence of Arabia, 1962 #7 on AFI Top 100 List
Absolutely brilliant! Both Brian and I loved this film, and neither of us had ever seen the film. It was tough too...dry, hot and other-world-like with its bigger than life desert scenes. Wow! And, it is interesting that by watching so many films in such a short period of time, you really begin to see a pattern in filmmaking...the journey of man or woman...and many of these characters end up just a bit crazier than they started out. However, Peter O'Toole's character T.E. Lawrence was a kind of good crazy, who found himself an unplanned leader.

The Searchers, 1956 #12 on AFI Top 100 List
We just love John Wayne...who doesn't love him! Again, we had never heard of this movie, and it was great. The bigger-than-life scenery was gorgeous, and it too was a journey...where the Wayne's character was searching for his niece for years. You could actually feel how tired he was. And, you could begin to see just how his past and this journey was wearing him down, to the point, you thought he just might be so blinded by hatred that he had lost his mind.

2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968 #15 on AFI Top 100 List
I could have sworn that I had seen this movie! And, I may have in high school, but I certainly did not remember the primordial man scene in the beginning or the star-child scene in the end. And, as the name implies, it is the odyssey of man...another journey! And, the only crazy person in this movie is actually the computer, Hal! Not sure it was my favorite, but I'm glad to have watched it...because of its importance in film.

The General, 1927 #18 on AFI Top 100 List
Hilarious! This was my favorite movie of the 11we watched. A black and white silent film staring Buster Keaton...who I don't think I've ever watched on film before...and a big locomotive named, "The General," set in Civil War times. I actually laughed out loud as the train began rolling away and Keaton looked up not knowing where it had gone! You should definitely watch this one!!

Chinatown, 1974 #21 on AFI Top 100 List
This was Brian's favorite of those we watched in the week. Like most of the other movies we watched, we had not seen this movie. It had a good story, interesting twists and a great acting by Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. I think Brian like the cars from the 1930's era as well. It's a good story, and although I thought it might have a lot to do with Chinatown, it really doesn't.

Dr. Strangelove, 1964 #39 on AFI Top 100 List Strange is a good word to use to describe this movie, which was a Stanley Kubrick black comedy featuring Peter Sellers and several other very crazy characters. Actually, Sellers' characters were on the less crazy side of all! It Happened One Night, 1934 #46 on AFI Top 100 List This is a fun and funny light-hearted film featuring all-time heart-throb Clark Gable along with Claudette Colbert. Let me just say that it's nice to see the good guy win sometimes! Watch this! A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951 #47 on AFI Top 100 List Surprisingly, neither Brian nor I had ever seen this movie. And, although I really thought I would like it, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess I had always thought that main macho man Marlon Brando was the bad guy. Although he wasn't a good guy, he wasn't bad either, and Vivian Leigh did an excellent job playing a woman driven crazy by time and circumstance...and even a litle bit remimded me of a great aunt of mine. It should be watched, more than once to be appreciated. Just be sure you're not looking for a light-hearted romance! American Graffitti, 1973 #62 on AFI Top 100 List Great music. Beautiful cars. Kids being kids, and not wanting to grow up. That's it. I very much like Richard Dryfuss in this movie, and am very glad to see him get on the plane at the end! Raiders of the Lost Ark,1981 #66 on AFI Top 100 List It amazes me that I can still watch this movie like it's the first time I've seen it! Harrison Ford is one of my all-time favorites, and this movie is as well. Although I didn't get to see this one until after the second one, as I had to wait until we got a VCR to be able to watch it!! The story is another journey, and one that set many kids since that time until now on a path to travel the world, learn about archeology and carry a whip!! Love it! Watch it! And, then watch the other three.

2012-12-01T11:30:00.003-08:00

It's December 1, and just like so many this holiday season, I'm worried about getting everything on my big lis marked off before the holidays! With only 17 out of 100 of the AFI 100 Years 100 Movies (10th Anniversary list) watched, I still have a great deal of work to do to reach my goal of watching, and blogging, about each movie. So, it's time to dedicate myself, and set a short-term doable goal by December 31! I don't think it's fair to think that I could get one a day in for the month, but I do think that four a week is doable with holiday days. So, I'm going to try to watch and blog 16 movies on the list by the end of 2012!

My Movies, My Thoughts: The Deer Hunter Not for the Lighthearted

2012-11-12T17:52:00.001-08:00

My Movies, My Thoughts: The Deer Hunter Not for the Lighthearted: #53 The Deer Hunter 1978: I just kept thinking, this movie is so noisy! Steel-town trains. A loud Greek wedding. Bombs. Yelling. And, the s...

The Deer Hunter Not for the Lighthearted

2012-11-12T17:48:00.002-08:00

#53 The Deer Hunter 1978: I just kept thinking, this movie is so noisy! Steel-town trains. A loud Greek wedding. Bombs. Yelling. And, the sound of gun shots...in the mountains...in Vietnam. I'm not sure that if this movie hadn't been on the AFI Top 100 Movies List, that I would have ever watched it.

There are moments of poetry, when Mike, played by Robert DeNiro, stops to apppreciate the "sun-dog" or when he stalks the deer in the mountains, and when the hunting party pauses to listen to the piano music in the bar. But, for the most part, I found the movie very brutal, both visually and audibly, and although poetry is an observation of the real, I tend to like my poetry to take me away to happier places. And, I guess the subject of war should be brutal, expressed in the gory and loud poetry that can only be experienced in the sights and sounds of the big screen. This movie is no Russian roulette...there is a bullet in every scene. Robert DeNiro plays the tough guy, deep thinker poet well.

For me, this one was a tough one to get back into my movie watching/blogging, as it required a great deal of emotional energy and patience. I may have to move the "Sound of Music" up just to balance it out!

My Movies, My Thoughts: "Anonymous" is interesting twist on Shakespeare

2012-08-07T16:12:00.001-07:00

My Movies, My Thoughts: "Anonymous" is interesting twist on Shakespeare: I had heard about the movie, "Anonymous," some time ago, but it had simply slipped my mind until I saw it in the video rental store last eve...

"Anonymous" is interesting twist on Shakespeare

2012-08-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

I had heard about the movie, "Anonymous," some time ago, but it had simply slipped my mind until I saw it in the video rental store last evening. How delighted I was to find this (I am an English major after all) movie, and how very unenthused my husband was that I did (he's not an English major!).

This story claims to be the real story of the works attributed to Shakespeare (notice I did not say "by Shakespeare"), and was an interesting telling of how the plays that are so very famous came to be. As the movie supposes the writings are that of the Earl of Oxford Edward De Vere, who because of his station in life and that playwriting was nearly a sin, could not be known as the author.

I warn you however that Shakespeare himself is not portrayed well in this movie and does come off as somewhat of a lying, cheating oaf! If what you are looking for is something that makes you rethink everything...okay not everything, just some things...you knew about literature and wonder just a little, then this movie is for you!

Now, I'm feeling guilty that I haven't read any Shakespeare since college. Maybe it's time to take in a sonnet or two!

My Movies, My Thoughts: "Salmon Fishing in Yemen" is not as unlikely as it...

2012-08-05T20:11:00.001-07:00

My Movies, My Thoughts: "Salmon Fishing in Yemen" is not as unlikely as it...: As summer generally goes, there is little movie watching going on at our house. I do admit, we have seen all the summer blockbusters at the...

"Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" is not as unlikely as it seems

2012-08-05T20:09:00.001-07:00

As summer generally goes, there is little movie watching going on at our house. I do admit, we have seen all the summer blockbusters at the theater...it's the television that has been getting a good long rest during the warm months as we are busy outside indulgening in the long days and loads of sunlight. As such, I thought an eight month break in blogging was extrememly unacceptable, and it was time to get back to my project of moving watching as a hobby. I know, some people doing flower arranging and model building, but taking in a good story with all the drama that comes with the big screen has been my favorite since the first time I can remember going to the theater as a child. It was "Snow White," I believe, the original Disney version which was my first. After that, it was "Star Wars" with my brother sitting in the back of my grandmother's borrowed stationwagon at the drive-in with my parents.

So, tonight I decided it was time to warm up the set and watch a movie: "Salmon Fishing in The Yemen." I know that it's not on the AFI Top 100 Movie List, but I wanted to start small and work my way back into the project :) As luck would have it, it was a delightful movie with excellent performances from Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor (always a favorite of mine).

It is a story of the impossible becoming possible, both with the fish and with life. What seems unreal is real. What is real is not really once you take a closer look at it. It is also the story of faith. Faith in God. Faith in humanity. Faith in each other.

It moved me to think about my own life and the impossibilities I find there. Recently, I took a new position at a local college. I was asked to build a building which many had come to believe was an impossible task. As I look at this movie, and what it tells me about faith and belief and doing something real, I am moved by it. Thank you Emily. Thank you Ewan.

"Salmon Fishing" is this movie lover's summertime inspiration and hope that she can build something that until now has been merely a dream.

"Sierra Madre" Is Treasure

2012-01-21T13:44:00.001-08:00

Review #19: Treasure of Sierra Madre, 1948 Hot. Really hot. When you watch this movie you feel the heat. The heat of the dry, Mexican mountains. The heat of the frustrations of manual labor. The heat from the tension between friends. The heat that comes from greed. In a nutshell, this movie is about greed, and the men who go crazy from it. And, Humphrey Bogart does a good crazy. You see glimpses of it early on in the movie, as he asks the same American man for money three times in a row. You hear Walter Houston foreshadow this crazy as he sets the stage for what will become the beginning of the end for Bogart's character. I thought this movie was a western. It's not. It is really a movie about the vices of greed and how it can ruin you. It's a movie about losing your mind. It's a movie about living. Bogart's character lived for himself. He lived for each day and was a man without a dream. He got the gold. And, that was all that he wanted. Then, he died. The end. This movie is #38 on the AFI 100 Movies 100 Years list. For me, it's along the lines of movies like "Psycho" and "Vertigo," exploring why people act the way that they do. I have to admit that it is unlikely I would have ever watched this movie without it being part of my movie project. What unlikely movie favorite have you discovered?

Hepburn is Hilarious!

2012-01-17T19:02:00.001-08:00

Movie Review #18: Bringing Up Baby, 1939. This is a laugh out loud flick that proves life doesn't have to be so serious! If there was ever a man that needed to loosen up, it's Cary Grant's stuffy museum character. And, Katharine Hepburn is just the woman for the job. Once she starts talking, she doesn't stop! Her stream-of-conscience thought processes are one step away from landing her in the nut-house, and causing mass mayhem in the streets with her playful leopard that's running loose. You have to watch this film to appreciate it. So, grab some popcorn and your sweetie and kick back for a good lighthearted evening.

"Bridge" Spans Test of Time

2012-01-17T18:39:00.001-08:00

Movie Review #16: Bridge On the River Kwai, 1957 I find it hard to get too excited about watching a war film. Generally speaking, I am always expecting the worst from them. Hard. Bloody. Little dialog. However, I have to say that this film did not take me there. It was bright. Beautifully shot. And, full of words...and whistling. It was actually a rather enjoyable film, and not what I was expecting. Do you remember when I said that just when I think a know a film or it's story, I'm surprised to learn that I just only thought I did. I really am learning so much, and experiencing a world of stories that I otherwise would not have known. Alec Guinness is rather captivating as the British commander who stands up to the Japanese Commandant, By not giving in to his demands. However, in standing up for the rules, Guinness ends up helping the enemy and is blinded by the very values that saved him earlier in the film. And, in an ironic twist, William Holden's character, who was a bit lack-luster in the values area, returned to save the day, albeit under duress. I was only a bit saddened by the meaningless loss of life at the end....which made it more of a true to my expectation war movie. If you haven't watched this film, I recommend it. If it's been a while, you might dust it off and take a peek. It's worth a viewing!

Don't "Duck" this Funny Favorite

2012-01-01T09:44:00.001-08:00

Movie Review #15: Duck Soup, 1933 With each new movie I watch from this all-time favorites list, I pride myself on being able to learn something new...add something to my movie vocabulary...become well-watched! So, when it came to this movie I was perplexed. I really had never been a fan of the Marx Brothers' comedy, and had seen little of their work. Throughout the movie I tried hard to make sense of the senselessness. I tried to find direct parallels with what was going on in politics, the world during that time. I looked for meaning in the dialog. It shouldn't be a surprise to you that I didn't find it, or at least not much of it. I even had to look at several websites to figure out why it was titled "Duck Soup." and, it had nothing to do with the movie comment, rather it was just another joke. I was still perpexed why this movie made it to the classics list. I guess the joke's on me! So what did I learn from it? After I decided that careful consideration and deep reflection were not the best paths for figuring out this movie, I was able to take this away from my experience: 1. Don't always take yourself so seriously. 2. If you make movie watching a list that you are just checking off, then you lose a lot of what you could have gotten out of the entire experience of watching. 3. Enjoy the jokes in life, and take them for what they were meant to be...fun. 4. And lastly, laugh loud and hard! Here's to wishing you fun and lots of laughs in 2012! Happy New year!

"High Noon" Sweats Bullets

2011-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:00

Movie Review #14: High Noon, 1952

Generally, I'm not a big western movie fan. But, as luck would have it, this movie was not a typical big western movie.

Let me explain for those of you who have not seen this all-time best western movie. It's just Gary Cooper, who plays the marshal, expecting his nemesis to arrive on the noon train, fresh from prison with a bone to pick. The entire film takes place over one hour, with the sun getting hotter by the minute and the townspeople turning their backs on Cooper. It's just Cooper. He's in a town full of people, but he's never been more alone in his life.

Haven't we all felt like that at times?

In the end, good wins over vengeance, and Cooper is saved. Or, is he redeemed? Well, he rides off into the sunset with his new wife, played by an unlikely Grace Kelly (who i believe looks out of place in this black and white hot movie) and leaves that for which he fought and almost died, behind. He doesn't look back. Sometimes it's best to know Shen it's time to go.

I'm glad to have seen this as I'm not very familiar with Cooper's work. It's also good to get a sense of what makes this movie stand out over others...I'm not sure I can fully understand the scope of it all yet. But, perhaps once I've seen all 100 movies I'll have a better idea! Only 86 more to go!

What's your favorite western? Blazing Saddles, True Grit or another?

Still Lessons To Be Learned in the "Graduate"

2011-12-29T11:07:00.000-08:00

Movie Review #13: The Graduate, 1967

I continue to be amazed by the stories in these wonderful movies that I've been watching from AFI's 100 Movies list.

Although I'm sure you've all watched The Graduate before, I had not. I only thought I knew it. After all, it's a well known, classic film. Why wouldn't I think I know it?

Besides the obvious things like the interesting camera angles...how they were used to help exaggerate the Dustin Hoffman character's alienation from his parent's world and his need to discover himself...and of course the controversial subject matter, this movie spoke to that restless part of me who wants to be her own person, breaking the mold and stepping outside of society's norms to be my own person, thoughts and all. The scene in the movie that illustrated this the most for me is when Hoffman first enters the hotel and is trying to decide what to do. There is a scene where he ends up holding the door for a rather long string of white-haired ladies and their dutiful husbands followed by a group of younger couples going the opposite direction. So, he doesn't seem to fit with the old or the new...he's somewhere in between.

Overall, I am not a big fan of movies from the 1960s, but this one is a must see for classic movie lovers. It has great music too.

On a side note, this is the second movie in a row that one of the characters has advised us to "invest in plastics...it's the future!" maybe they are trying to tell us something!

It's a "Giant" of a Picture

2011-12-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

Movie Review #12: Giant, 1956

I loved seeing Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean in this big Texas soap opera! Although I'd watched this movie, or portions of it in the past, I underestimated how much I enjoyed the acting of these big stars. They have such charisma on the screen that it is a pleasure to sit through the three and a half hour film.

My favorite parts are the smart dialog between Taylor and Hudson, where Hudson is always one step behind, and doesn't even know he's lost the battle until it's too late. Although Hudson is bound and determined not to give up any of his rancher ways, Taylor manages to smooth out some of the rough edges, making him a little more human, while not diminishing his Texas pride.

This movie was #86 on the original AFI Top 100 Movies List, but fell off the 10th anniversary edition of the list. I recommend it just for the sheer size!

It Is "Wonderful" at This Time of Year

2011-12-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

Movie Review #11: Its a Wonderful Life, 1946

I first watched this movie only 10 years ago, and it's been one of my favorites ever since. Maybe it's Jimmy Stewart, or Clarence--the unlikeliest angel you've ever seen, or the concept that angels have to earn their wings...it is full of heart and forgiveness.

What impresses me most is this idea that our lives are so entangled with all those lives we touch through our work, play and love. This Twentieth Century Dickens telling twists the plot a bit, putting the emphasis on Stuart's Bob Cratchet-like character who comes close to losing his soul because of Mr. Potter's Scrooge-like hatred. In the end, the town is saved because of the little man doing the right thing.

Here at Christmas, it makes me feel that we all make a difference in more ways than we can ever understand. It means that life is wonderful, and should be lived to the fullest. This movie makes the list at #20, and is worth another look if you haven't viewed it for a few years.

What movie speaks to you at the holidays?

"Waterfront" Is an Impossible Love Story

2011-12-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

Movie #10: On The Waterfront, 1954

Raw and cold, the waterfront location sets a bleak scene for this hard and impossible love story. Yes, I said love story. I wasn't expecting a love story!

The movie opens with a murder, a cover up, and an uneasy conscience. It's the latter that starts the plot rolling, and causes the unravelling of our main character played by Marlon Brando. It's this unravelling that allows him to open his heart. And, as often is the case, he finds that the road to find true love is a rough way to go. Although I find it hard to believe that our female heroin could fall for this good-for-nothing punk, who stood by while his thug friends murdered her brother, their relationship mirrors the difficult situation Brando's character is in with the union mobsters.

I was struck by how the whole thing sent a chill throughout my body as I watched this film. It was cold, through and through. The only warmth came from how love took a boy and turned him into a man...one who stands up for himself and those who cannot stand on their own. That part was warm and beautiful.

This movie was a new one for me, and I'm not sure that it is one I would enjoy watching over and over again.

I'm "Singin" Its Praises

2011-11-26T21:24:00.000-08:00

Movie Review #9: Singin' in the Rain, 1952

I love movies about the movies! In this story, we get singing and dancing and also an inside look at the making of the movies, albeit exaggerated I'm sure. the story takes us back to the time of silent films, exploring the transition into talking films.

The story remains light and fun with it's song and dance numbers. Gene Kelly's fancy footwork left us wondering how many hours of practice a day must he and the others endured. The story attempts to look at the more serious side by suggesting that silent screen actors are merely shadows of their stage acting counterparts, but this too is rather light and easily lost once the singing and dancing begin.

It's so very interesting to see the movies from the inside out...publicity, stardom, fame, talent and the facade are all areas that this film about films looks into. This movie gives an insider's view of a superficial world in which outward appearances mean more than true talent.

After having just enjoyed the movie Hugo in the theaters, I was particularly attune to movies about movies, and had really not thought too much about the subject. Perhaps it was seeing the two movies in the same day that heightened my awareness. As it is story that interests me most, I'm intrigued by the number of movie makers that like to incorporate aspects of their own business into their work.

This movie ranks #10 on the AFI 100 movies list, and it will likely remain a classic for all time!

"Northwest" Headed In Right Direction

2011-11-26T20:59:00.000-08:00

Movie Review #8: North By Northwest, 1959

I always say that I'm directionally dyslexic when it comes to reading maps, street signs or following verbal directions. In this movie, Cary Grant, who lands in the middle a spy story, finds himself headed in the wrong direction for nearly the entire movie. Although I'm sure that Cary would have relished the idea of GPS or a Garmin...one that showed the way out of trouble...every turn he made got him deeper into the world of espionage and secret agents.

Playing the role of the unsuspecting bystander well, Cary's performance is strong, and matched well by his co-star Eva Marie Saint. Together, they make for an engaging performance, with wit and sarcasm woven in among the more serious dialog and storyline. Bad guy James Mason's performance is very convincing as well.

It is interesting to see how Alfred Hitchcock carries his theme of directions throughout the movie. He has the characters travel from New York to Chicago and South Dakota. He even places Cary at a crossroads (which is a significant turning point in his main character's understanding in the story) in Indiana for the famous plane scene. We looked it up to see if it was really filmed in Indiana on Route 41, but no, it was actually in California! After visiting Mt. Rushmore last year with my daughter, I was particularly interested in the scenes filmed around the famous monument. I'm not sure that I believe that the storyline is plausible, but I sure sat on the edge of my seat when they were climbing all over the presidents' heads! Like directions, I do not do heights well.

On the AFI 100 Years' list, this movie ranks 40th. As I'm a fan of many Hitchcock films, this is one of my personal favorites. I recommend it, if only to take in the scenery!