North by Northwest by Hitchcock (and Ernest Lehman)

When I think of Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959), I think of the iconic set pieces (the crop duster chase, the Mount Rushmore scenes, Cary Grant's brilliant performance, but also the screenplay, written with Hitchcock’s occasional feedback, by Ernest Lehman.

Recently, in a commentary written for Turner Classic Movies, Guillermo del Toro calls it cinema's only flawless action movie:

North by Northwest, 1959 by Alfred Hitchcock, is a perfect perpetual motion machine and is made by one of the greatest clockwork makers in cinema history – a filmmaker that could blend seamlessly comedy, drama, action, and suspense. … This is one of the canonical films of Alfred Hitchcock, The most perfect action film ever made, in my opinion.

The film follows Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), a suave yet hapless advertising executive who is mistaken for a government agent and is subsequently thrust into a web of espionage, deceit, and danger. Thornhill's journey—from a mistaken identity at the Plaza Hotel to the climax atop Mount Rushmore—is packed with twists, yet the pacing never feels overwhelming. Lehman’s transitions between action, comedy, and romance are seamless. Thornhill’s evolution from a complacent Madison Avenue executive to an unwilling yet capable hero is one of the screenplay’s greatest strengths. His transformation feels organic, propelled by Lehman’s writing, which keeps him grounded despite the extraordinary situations he faces.

While Hitchcock is the master of suspense, it was collaborating with Ernest Lehman that produced an entertaining thriller, as well as an example of how a well-structured screenplay can become the foundation for cinematic excellence.

By the way, as a writing exercise, I re-typed the screenplay for North by Northwest (as well as The Prize from 1963, Sabrina Faire, released as Sabrina in 1954, The Sweet Smell of Success, co-written with C. Odets in 1957, and Executive Suite from 1954). If you are interested in a pdf for scholarly purposes (e.g, you need to copy and paste into a scholarly article using the Fair Use clause), just send me an email. No promises that it is free from typographical errors (of my own), but the fountain files are also available, for making your own corrections.