Considered to be one of Hitchcock’s greatest as well as one of the greatest films of all time period; this is perhaps the only one of his films that I’d call overrated. I use that word cautiously as I still believe it to be a very good film, however allow me to challenge conventional wisdom and say there are a plethora of other Hitchcock films that are superior, 21 to be exact. It is also considered to be the first 007 movie, which I must admit adds a nice element to its mystique, however I would note that most James Bond movies aren’t that remarkable either (so there’s that). A classic tale of mistaken identity and an innocent man on the run, this film honestly takes the blueprint to many other Hitchcock films while relying on a hollywood superstar and a crop duster to make the film stand out.
Cary Grant plays his role graciously as does James Mason who was phenomenal in other films that gave him much more to work with. As far as icy blondes go I would say Eva Marie Saint was underwhelming in this category, although supporting cast such as Leo G Carroll, Jessie Royce Landis, and Martin Landau in his first ever film appearance do indeed round out a pretty impressive ensemble. A closing scene in which our main characters run across Mt Rushmore was certainly impressive for cinema at the time, however more than 50 years later it rings hollow within a script that is more for thrills than true storytelling.
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