North by Northwest
A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock · Adventure · Drama · Mystery · 136 min · 1959
Trailer
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Writer
Ernest Lehman
Studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release
18 Dec 1959
Runtime
136 min
Genres
Adventure, Drama, Mystery
Full Plot
Madison Avenue advertising man Roger Thornhill is thrust into the world of spies when he is mistaken for a man named George Kaplan. Foreign spy Philip Vandamm and his henchman Leonard try to eliminate him, but when he tries to make sense of the case, he is framed for murder. Now on the run from the police, he manages to board the 20th Century Limited bound for Chicago where he meets beautiful blonde Eve Kendall, who helps him evade the authorities. His world is turned upside-down yet again when he learns that Eve isn't the innocent bystander he thought she was. Nothing is as it seems, leading to a dramatic rescue and escape at the top of Mt. Rushmore.
Cast & Characters
Roger Thornhill
Cary Grant
Eve Kendall
Eva Marie Saint
Phillip Vandamm
James Mason
Clara Thornhill
Jessie Royce Landis
The Professor
Leo G. Carroll
"Mrs. Townsend"
Josephine Hutchinson
Lester Townsend
Philip Ober
Leonard
Martin Landau
Valerian
Adam Williams
Victor Larrabee
Edward Platt
Licht
Robert Ellenstein
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $4.0M, North by Northwest has grossed $13.3M worldwide — about 3.3x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Alfred Hitchcock has directed 5 films in our catalog, including Dial M for Murder, Vertigo.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
In its opening in Chicago, it grossed $46,000 in its first week and $35,000 the second week.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
North by Northwest holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (369,321 votes), 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 98/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.3/10 on IMDb (369,321 votes), 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 98/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is North by Northwest's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
North by Northwest holds a 97% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is North by Northwest's IMDb rating?+
North by Northwest has a 8.3/10 rating on IMDb from 369,321 votes.
What is North by Northwest's Metacritic score?+
North by Northwest has a Metascore of 98/100 on Metacritic.
Is North by Northwest good? What are critics saying?+
North by Northwest holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (369,321 votes), 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 98/100 on Metacritic.
How long is North by Northwest?+
North by Northwest has a runtime of 136 min.
Who directed North by Northwest?+
North by Northwest was directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Where can I watch North by Northwest?+
North by Northwest is available to stream, rent, or buy on Philo, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Rakuten TV, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public reaction to the movie "North by Northwest" is one of confusion and disappointment, with many viewers finding the plot absurdly convoluted and the action sequences too over-the-top. Some reviewers praise the film's suspenseful storytelling and Cary Grant's performance, but others criticize its reliance on mistaken identity and implausible plot twists.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
North by Northwest is famous for its famous action sequences such as hanging on Mount Rushmore and the crop duster plane scene. Essentially it is a film of mistaken identity as advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is mistaken for George Kaplan by some bad guys in le…
DanDare · 7/10I hate user/critic review websites strictly because of movies like this. People will go see like, Gran Torino, be entertained, admire a couple symmetrical shots and smooth camera pans or whatever, and rate the thing a 4.5/5, 9/10, 95%, etc. But then there are movies that have a t…
tmdb47633491 · 9/10Sometimes the truth does taste like a mouthful of worms. Roger O Thornhill is a harmless and amiable advertising executive who is absurdly mistaken for a government agent by a gang of ruthless spies. Forced to go out on the lam, Thornhill lurches from one perilous scenario to ano…
John Chard · 10/10***It has its points of interest, but any 60’s Bond flick is a better choice*** When an ad executive in Manhattan (Gary Cooper) is mistaken for a government agent by a foreign spy & his cronies (James Mason, et al.) he finds himself a fugitive traveling by train to Chicago wherei…
Wuchak · 6/10Not one time did I think “This is good enough to deserve being on his (Hitchcock’s) filmography.
James · 7/10"Thornhill" (Cary Grant) is your typically fast-talking advertising executive who is meeting some folks for a drink when he is mistaken for a "Mr. Caplan". Whisked off at gunpoint to meet "Vandamm" (James Mason) and his henchman "Leonard" (Martin Landau) his protestations of inno…
CinemaSerf · 7/10Seen this one a few times over the years and still is one of Hitchcock's best though personally Rear Window is still my favorite of his. Still, a great espionage thriller with solid performances from both Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. **4.5/5**
JPV852 · 9/10
From the trailer's comments
I bought this movie............The introduction is FANTASTIC! The music is the most intense I ever heard. Eva Maria Saint is 99 years old, still living as of 2023. God bless her
@kystars · 44 likesOne of the BEST espionage films of Alfred Hitchcock.
@GoldandAppel · 41 likesOne of the absolute best film endings in in the history of cinema. The last minute of the movie blew my mind.
@jasonmerrin4505 · 28 likesJust one word to describe this brilliantly directed and played suspense movie: M A S T E R P I E C E !!
@Vernostonus · 71 likesOne of Hitchcocks very best!! I loved Cary Grant in any movie. Outstanding actor!!
@jarodcarnarvon5198 · 15 likesMy favourite film, I never get tired of watching it when it comes on TV usually at Christmas
@janethills3646 · 19 likes"several bartenders dependent on me" Lol, oldie films were so funny xD
@jamescarmody4713 · 12 likesThis is my favorite Hitchcock film. I love Mystery and Suspense! This movie kept me guessing the whole way through. They do not make films like this anymore. Even the films they make today where they try to come close to it, they make them mostly drama, little suspense. That airp…
@J-Earthling · 13 likes
