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Classic and exquisitely ridiculous Hitchcock. A lot of fun. Two very attractive men (a heroic Cary Grant and the villainously gorgeous James Mason) battle with each other, one trying to unframe himself and the other attempting to take over the world.
Hitchcock has just about reached the stage of self-parody with this film. The plot is basically The 39 Steps over again: an innocent man is caught up in a Web of Deception complete with spies, stooges and suspicious characters. The plot's not very much to the forefront though: the style's the thing. This film just reeks with classy, camp, 1950s blockbuster atmosphere. There are some first class set pieces (yes, this is the one where Grant's attacked by a crop-duster plane), some great if deliberately hammy acting and a witty script.
Perhaps because the whole film is a chase sequence, I personally have always found the final Mount Rushmore chase scene drags a little compared to the rest of the film. Maybe that's because at that point Eva Marie Saint is involved and Cary's more fun on his own (like so many of Hitchcock's heroines, her charisma seems to be throttled down to the advantage of that of the male stars). But apart from that, the trademark Hitchcock suspense is marvellously maintained throughout. If you only watch one Hitchcock, this is the one to watch. Or Strangers on a Train. Or The Birds, of course. Or...
Hitchcock has just about reached the stage of self-parody with this film. The plot is basically The 39 Steps over again: an innocent man is caught up in a Web of Deception complete with spies, stooges and suspicious characters. The plot's not very much to the forefront though: the style's the thing. This film just reeks with classy, camp, 1950s blockbuster atmosphere. There are some first class set pieces (yes, this is the one where Grant's attacked by a crop-duster plane), some great if deliberately hammy acting and a witty script.
Perhaps because the whole film is a chase sequence, I personally have always found the final Mount Rushmore chase scene drags a little compared to the rest of the film. Maybe that's because at that point Eva Marie Saint is involved and Cary's more fun on his own (like so many of Hitchcock's heroines, her charisma seems to be throttled down to the advantage of that of the male stars). But apart from that, the trademark Hitchcock suspense is marvellously maintained throughout. If you only watch one Hitchcock, this is the one to watch. Or Strangers on a Train. Or The Birds, of course. Or...
