THE IMDB TOP 50 CHALLENGE #38 North By Northwest

Alfred Hitchcock is arguably the greatest director of all time and features more than any other in the IMDB Top 50. His four entries (Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho and Rear Window) are amongst the most highly regarded films ever made. Although Rear Window is my undoubted favourite (thanks largely to my enduring man-love for Jimmy Stewart), North By Northwest is considered by many to be his most tightly plotted and accomplished masterpiece.

Sadly, it’s not a view I share. At times the contrivances and plot-holes are almost inconceivable in a tale of mistaken identity characterised by a baffling laid-back performance from Cary Grant. He plays Roger Thornhill, a Madison Avenue ad-man who is mistaken for international spy George Kaplin in the movie’s opening moments. From there, his life is turned upside as he is kidnapped, almost killed and framed for murder – although he still finds time to seduce a beautiful blonde on an overnight train. It is, of course, all part of a shadowy conspiracy which only Thornhill can unravel – provided he’s not murdered or arrested first.

Grant is preposterously laid-back in the lead role, barely ruffling a hair on his suavely coiffed head as he quickly adapts to the most outrageous circumstances. Roger Moore’s James Bond certainly owes a debt of gratitude to Grant’s performance here as he quips and seduces his way out of the most dangerous situations. He’s a likeable presence, of course, but Grant’s easy manner prevents the audience ever feeling that Thornhill is in genuine peril.

A number of memorable set-pieces are superbly executed, not least the iconic scene of Thornhill being attacked from above by a swooping aeroplane. Taking refuge wherever he can, the scene concludes with a huge fireball – all shot in glorious Technicolor and with no CGI. It’s impressive stuff indeed, but my preference is for Hitchcock’s smaller scale movies: a chance meeting on public transport becomes Strangers On A Train; something that might have been seen from an apartment building becomes Rear Window; a creepy man with mother issues becomes Psycho.

THE IMDB TOP 50 CHALLENGE #40 Citizen Kane

Here is what I knew of Citizen Kane before I watched it: there was once an episode of the Ghostbusters animated series based on the story; it is about the media; it was directed by and starred Orson Welles; it utilised innovative camera techniques (we studied some of these at university); it’s regularly voted the greatest film of all time; there is a Rosebud involved. And that’s it. For one reason or another, I’ve always avoided watching Citizen Kane or trying to find out any more about it – despite its cultural significance and the esteem in which it is held.

Charles Foster Kane (Welles) is a multi-millionaire media magnate whose seemingly inevitable rise to the American presidency was abruptly halted when news emerged of an extra-marital affair. In a fast-moving opening segment we are provided with a potted history of Kane’s career which places him alongside historical figures such as Churchill and Hitler (a sequence to which Forrest Gump is heavily indebted) and reveals the final enigmatic word he uttered on his deathbed: “Rosebud”. Intrigued by the mystery of his final word, the New York Inquirer launches an investigation to find out exactly who or what ‘Rosebud’ is. What follows is a series of extended flashbacks documenting Kane’s life through the eyes of those who knew him.

Welles is superb as Kane – aged only 25 at the time of filming, he could hardly have anticipated that he would never better this performance. Playing the tycoon at various stages of his life and as a mesmeric mixture of ruthless egomaniac and generous philanthropist, Welles gives us a truly rounded character and some truly memorable scenes.

His direction, too, is absolutely superb. It’s a beautifully crafted film, full of inventive camerawork and wonderful lighting. Employing hitherto unseen zoom focuses, shots which travel through the scenery and angles never seen before, Welles vision was astounding back in 1941 and still impresses over seventy years later. Sadly, the narrative hasn’t aged so well. At times, Citizen Kane is excessively wordy. Very few of the actors can hold a torch to the leading man and some are, quite frankly, more than a little irritating.

Welles never managed to recreate the success of his directorial debut, instead seeing his career slide into mediocrity which ended in him providing voiceovers for cartoons like Transformers the movie. Thankfully his legacy has endured thanks to a movie which, whilst dated, remains interesting, provocative and, above all, inspirational.