Best of the Letter "N:" North By Northwest (1959)

I am a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan.  I've loved his ability to do things no one else had done before, invent new techniques, and tease out action and drama into true suspense that continues to build.

North By Northwest is Hitchcock's most fun and entertaining film, full of twists and turns and great action.  It also captures perfectly the style of the great director toward the end of his career, when he was able to bring a world of experience into full effect and create some of his most timeless masterpieces.  It also happens to be my favorite Cary Grant movie, and I LOVE Cary Grant.

Not everything works out in terms of "making sense."  However, if you are willing to suspend a bit of disbelief everything will work out just fine in terms of being monstrously enjoyable.  Just sit back and watch one of the great credit sequences of all time, a great score, fantastically great writing, and some iconic moments -such as the murder at the U.N., the crop duster attack, and the frantic climb on the face of Mount Rushmore.  And don't forget to bid at the auction like a crazy man -it just might save your life!

North By Northwest.  A movie about a case of mistaken identity, murder, international spy rings, and romance on trains.  Definitely classic Hitchcock.  And also the best movie you can watch that starts with "N."

Entertainment: 10/10
Artistic Value: 5/10
Technical Merit: 8/10

Overall: 8/10


Runners up for the Letter "N:"

• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• Network (1976)
• Night of the Living Dead (1968)
• Night Train to Munich (1940)