North by Northwest

Once again Hitchcock was able to formulate an amazing movie based on the thriller/love-story/spy genre. Hitchcock's great ability to keep the viewer on edge in anticipation by incorporating an amazing soundtrack and camera positioning can be seen in North by Northwest. One detail I feel is noteworthy is the reoccurring theme of women used in Hitchcock's films to manipulate men. Another is the display of trains in many of Hitchcock's films. He seems to really utilize them frequently, almost as if he was fascinated by them.

The scene I would like the discuss is a little before when the crop duster plane collided with the oil-tanker around 1:03:00. The shot is an overhead long-shot, possibly a crane-shot in which there is a lot of deep space showing the surrounds and area. The mis en scene of the shot is very integral to the whole feeling of suspense the viewer receives. The viewer gets the impression that Richard is being dropped at a very isolated, desolate place where there is no cover for him in case he has to hide or run. Indeed Richard had to run and the environment he was placed in only added to the suspense as it would not be possible for a plane to be able to hunt a human like what had happened in this scene in many other environments. Shortly after the scene begins, Richard's repeated views of his surrounding make him seem unsure of the whole situation as well. When he keeps looking towards the high corn, the viewer can almost be certain it will be used for something, as it is the only cover available in the entirety of the location.

Another sort of detail I noticed was the repeated use of crowds and lots of people in this film. That also seems to be a reoccurring motif of Hitchcock's. Repeatedly crowds were shown in the film and, sometimes Richard even used them as means of escape. Another movie we saw a lot of crowds in was The 39 Steps.