e n a y r r › ... · the essential triviality of the james bond in fact, sets off perfectly, by...
Post on 10-Jun-2020
0 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
War
ning
Con
cern
ing
Cop
yrig
ht R
estr
ictio
ns
The
Copy
right
law
of t
he U
nite
d St
ates
(Titl
e 17
, Uni
ted
Stat
es C
ode)
gov
erns
the
mak
ing
of p
hoto
copi
es o
r oth
er re
prod
uctio
ns o
f cop
yrig
ht m
ater
ial.
Und
er c
erta
inco
nditi
ons s
peci
fied
in th
e la
w, l
ibra
ries a
nd a
rchi
ves a
re a
utho
rized
to fu
rnish
aph
otoc
opy
or o
ther
repr
oduc
tion.
One
of t
hese
spec
ified
con
ditio
ns is
that
the
phot
ocop
yor
repr
oduc
tion
not b
e "u
sed
for a
ny p
urpo
ses o
ther
than
priv
ate
study
, sch
olar
ship
, or
rese
arch
." If
a us
er m
akes
a re
ques
t for
, or l
ater
use
s, a
phot
ocop
y or
repr
oduc
tion
for
purp
oses
in e
xces
s of "
fair
use,
" tha
t use
r may
be
liabl
e fo
r cop
yrig
ht in
fring
emen
t.
5
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
· There are no symbols in North by Northwest . Oh yes! One. The last shot, the train entering the runnel after the love-scene between Grant and Eva-Marie Saint. It's a phallic symbol. But don't tell anyone.-Alfred Hitchcock, Cahiers du Cinema, No. 102.
Of Hitchcock's six most recent films, North by Northwest is that which corresponds most nearly to the conventional estimate of him as a pol· ished light entertainer. That, beside its immediate neighbors, it is a lightweight work, a relaxation, in which we see Hitchcock working at something less than full pressure, I do not deny. That it is trivial or frivolous, not worth serious attention, [reject absolutely. When I spoke of the unbroken series of masterpieces from Vertigo to Mamie, I had not forgotten North by Northwest.
A light entertainment can have depth, subtlety, finesse, it can embody mature moral values; indeed, it seems to me that it must. If I fail to be entertained by Goldfinger, it is because there is nothing there to engage or retain the attention; the result is a nonentity, consequently tedious. The essential triviality of the James Bond in fact, sets off perfectly, by contrast, the depth, the charm, the integrity of Hitchcock's film.
A film, whether light entertainment or not, is either a work of art or · it is nothing. And the basic essential of a work of art is that it be
thematically organic. Goldfinger is a collection of bits, carefully calcu· lated with both eyes on the box office, put end to end with no deeper necessity for what happens next than mere plot; nothing except plot develops in· the course of it, and, obviously, the essence of an organic construction is development. But Goldfinger, [ shall be reminded, doesn't take itself seriously: so much the worse for it. And if ir doesn't why
HIT
CH
CO
CK
'S F
ILM
S
shqu
ld a
nyon
e el
se?-
for I
find
it d
iffic
ult t
o se
e ho
w th
e ad
ult m
ind
can
occu
py it
self
with
som
ethi
ng t
hat c
anno
t, in
som
e se
nse,
be
take
n se
ri-ou
sly.
Nor
th b
y N
orth
wes
t, on
the
leve
l of
plo
t (if
one
can
im
agin
e its
pl
ot d
ivor
ced
from
its
subj
ect,
whi
ch is
mor
e di
ffic
ult t
han
may
at
first
appe
ar),
also
doe
sn't
take
its
elf
serio
usly
: w
e ar
e no
t, in
oth
er w
ords
, ex
pect
ed t
o be
lieve
, lite
rally
, thi
s co
uld
happ
en.
But
it is
a v
ery
supe
rfi-
cial
gla
nce
that
see
s no
mor
e th
ere
than
the
plo
t. T
he t
ongu
e-in
-che
ek
elem
ent o
n pl
ot le
vel h
as th
e fu
nctio
n of
dir
ectin
g ou
r at
tent
ion
to o
ther
le
vels.
On
the
othe
r ha
nd t
he s
elf-
moc
king
asp
ect o
f th
e B
ond
film
s is
mer
ely
a ve
ry s
hrew
d m
eans
of
perm
ittin
g th
e sp
ecta
tor
to in
dulg
e an
y pe
ncha
nt f
or s
adis
m a
nd .s
exua
l "k
icks
" he
may
hav
e w
ithou
t an
y ac
-co
mpa
nyin
g di
scom
fort
. Th
e so
ciol
ogis
t and
the
criti
c ha
ve te
rrito
ry in
com
mon
, cer
tain
ly; b
ut
Gol
dfin
ger a
nd it
s su
cces
s, th
e w
ide
popu
lar a
nd c
ritic
al s
ucce
ss o
f a fi
lm
that
has
sca
rcel
y m
ore
to o
ffer
than
a b
oys'
com
ic p
aper
, see
ms
to m
e to
be
long
stri
ctly
to
the
soci
olog
ist.
Even
to
com
pare
it
with
Nor
th b
y N
orth
wes
t w
ill s
eem
slig
htly
rid
icul
ous
to H
itchc
ock'
s ad
mir
ers,
but
a
mom
ent's
ref
lect
ion
will
be
enou
gh t
o re
min
d th
em t
hat
the
obvi
ous
dist
inct
ion
betw
een
the
two
film
s ha
s no
t bee
n m
ade
ever
ywhe
re.
I ha
ve a
llow
ed t
hat
Nor
th b
y N
orth
wes
t is
a co
mpa
rativ
ely
rela
xed
film
, a
dive
rtis
sem
ent;
that
is
to s
ay,
one
mus
t no
t de
man
d of
it t
he
conc
entr
ated
sig
nific
ance
, th
e ex
trao
rdin
arily
clo
se-k
nit o
rgan
izat
ion
of
Vert
igo
and
Psyc
ho.
Nev
erth
eles
s, it
has
a c
oher
ent a
nd s
atis
fyin
g de
vel-
opm
ent,
a co
nstr
uctio
n su
ffici
ently
str
ong
and
clea
r to
ass
imila
te t
he
occa
sion
al c
harm
ing
but i
rrel
evan
t litt
le j
eux
d'es
prit
(the
stra
nge
lady
's re
actio
n to
Car
y G
rant
's n
octu
rnal
pas
sage
thr
ough
her
bed
room
as
he
esca
pes
from
the
hot
el i
n w
hich
the
hea
d of
the
C.I.
A.
has
impr
ison
ed
him
) pe
rmis
sibl
e in
a w
ork
of th
is n
atur
e. L
ike
Vert
igo
(to w
hich
it i
s al
so l
inke
d th
roug
h its
equ
ivoc
al h
eroi
ne),
it ca
n be
reg
arde
d as
fal
ling
into
thre
e m
ovem
ents
cor
resp
ondi
ng to
the
mai
n st
ages
in t
he e
volu
tion
of th
e he
ro's
attit
ude.
The
firs
t lig
htly
ske
tche
s al
l th
at is
rel
evan
t (fo
r th
e pu
rpos
es o
f th
e fil
m)
of h
is ge
nera
l si
tuat
ion
and
outlo
ok, a
nd h
as
him
mis
take
n fo
r G
eorg
e K
apla
n an
d w
ante
d by
bot
h sp
ies
and
polic
e;
it cl
oses
with
the
rev
elat
ion
that
Geo
rge
Kap
lan
does
n't
exis
t. Th
e se
cond
see
s hi
m i
nvol
ved
with
Eve
Ken
dall
and
trac
es t
he a
brup
t shi
fts
in h
is r
elat
ions
hip
with
her
as
he (
as w
ell
as t
he s
pect
ator
) be
com
es
incr
easi
ngly
fru
stra
ted,
baf
fled,
dis
illus
ione
d, b
y th
e am
bigu
ity o
f he
r po
sitio
n an
d be
havi
or.
The
last
mov
emen
t be
gins
whe
n he
lea
rns
the
NO
RTH
IIY
NO
RTH
WE
ST
Ill
trut
h ab
out
her
and
-th
e re
al t
urni
ng p
oint
of
the
acce
pts
his
role
as
Kap
lan,
and
cul
min
ates
in
the
cem
entin
g of
the
ir
rela
tions
hip.
N
orth
by
Nor
thw
est
bear
s an
obv
ious
res
embl
ance
to
both
The
39
Step
s an
d Sa
bote
ur;
its i
mm
ense
sup
erio
rity
to b
oth
film
s sc
arce
ly n
eeds
to
be
argu
ed·,
but i
t is
wor
th n
otin
g th
at H
itchc
ock
him
self,
whe
n as
ked
why
he
had
rem
ade
Sabo
teur
, re
plie
d th
a·t in
the
ear
lier f
ilm t
he c
hara
c-te
rs w
ere
not
inte
rest
ing,
and
tha
t he
mad
e an
ele
men
tary
mis
take
in
havi
ng t
he v
illai
n, n
ot t
he h
ero,
dan
gle
from
the
top
of
the
Stat
ue o
f L
iber
ty. T
he s
econ
d po
int i
s by
no
mea
ns a
tri
vial
one
, and
is i
ntim
atel
y co
nnec
ted
with
.the
firs
t. It
is n
ot s
o m
uch
a gr
eate
r co
mpl
exity
of
the
char
acte
rs in
Nor
th b
y N
orth
wes
t tha
t mak
es th
em m
ore
inte
rest
ing,
but
th
eir
rela
tions
hip
to t
he a
ctio
n. B
oth
The
39 S
teps
and
Sab
oteu
r ha
ve
hero
es q
uite
unp
redi
ctab
ly a
nd a
brup
tly p
lung
ed in
to h
air-
rais
ing
adve
n-tu
res,
but
the
adve
ntur
es b
ear
no r
eally
org
anic
rela
tions
hip
to th
e m
en;
ther
e is
not t
he s
ame
poin
t in
thes
e th
ings
hap
peni
ng to
Ric
hard
Han
nay
and
the
hero
of S
abot
eur
as t
here
is in
the
ir h
appe
ning
to
Rog
er T
horn
-hi
ll. S
imila
rly,
ther
e is
no p
oint
at
all
in h
avin
g Fr
y (th
e "s
abot
eur"
of
the
title
) han
g by
his
coat
slee
ves
from
the
Sta
tue
of L
iber
ty, b
eyon
d th
e pr
olon
ging
of
a si
mpl
e su
spen
se ·a
s an
end
in it
self
; th
ere
is ev
ery
poin
t in
Rog
er T
horn
hill,
the
prev
ious
ly ir
resp
onsi
ble,
una
ttach
ed a
dver
tisin
g m
an, h
avin
g to
han
g· o
nto
a le
dge
on M
ount
Rus
hmor
e by
one
han
d,
hold
ing
the
wom
an h
e lo
ves
by t
he o
ther
, w
hile
the
hom
osex
ual
spy
Leon
ard,
the
film
's ul
timat
e re
pres
enta
tive
of th
e st
erile
and
des
truc
tive,
gr
inds
the
han
d w
ith h
is f
oot.[
2.o]
The
diff
eren
ce c
an b
e su
mm
ed u
p (w
ith s
ome
unfa
irnes
s in
sim
plifi
catio
n to
the
earl
ier f
ilms)
by
sayi
ng th
at
Nor
th b
y N
orth
wes
t has
a s
ubje
ct a
s w
ell a
s a
plot
. In
fac
t, at
a d
eepe
r le
vel
the
film
has
mor
e in
com
mon
wit
h Re
ar
Win
dow
than
with
Sab
oteu
r or
The
39
Step
s. T
hd
ilm
beg
ins w
ith s
hots
of
New
Yor
k tra
ffic
and
New
Yor
k cr
owds
: a
sens
e of
app
aren
tly
aim
less
and
cha
otic
bus
tle a
nd m
ovem
ent.
From
thi
s em
erge
s R
oger
Th
ornh
ill, d
icta
ting
to h
is s
ecre
tary
on
his
way
hom
e by
lift
, cr
owde
d pa
vem
ent,
taxi
·: em
erge
s fr
om it
as
its ty
pica
l rep
rese
ntat
ive
and
prod
uct.
In a
n ex
posi
tion
of m
aste
rly c
ompr
essi
on w
e le
arn
all t
he e
ssen
tial t
hing
s ab
out
him
: he
, is
bras
h, f
ast-t
alki
ng,
over
-con
fide
nt o
n th
e su
rfac
e; e
n-tir
ely
irres
pons
ible
and
inco
nsid
erat
e of
oth
ers
(he
clie
ats
two
peop
le o
ut
of th
eir t
axi b
y pr
eten
ding
his
sec
reta
ry is
ill,
then
che
erfu
lly ju
stifi
es th
is to
her
by
telli
ng h
er h
e ha
s m
ade
the
othe
r m
an "
feel
lik
e a
Goo
d
134
HIT
CH
CO
CK
'S F
ILM
S
Sam
arita
n");
a h
eavy
dri
nker
; a
divo
rce
(twic
e, i
t tra
nspi
res)
; su
rpri
s-in
gly
dom
inat
ed b
y hi
s m
othe
r, w
ho, h
e sa
ys, i
s "l
ike
a bl
oodh
ound
" in
st
ill s
niff
ing
his
brea
th to
find
out
if h
e ha
s be
en d
rink
ing.
Ind
eed,
he
is a
man
who
live
s pu
rely
on
the
surf
ace,
refu
sing
all
com
mitm
ent o
r res
pon-
sibi
lity
(app
ropr
iate
ly,
he is
in
adve
rtisi
ng),
imm
atur
e fo
r al
l hi
s co
ck-
sure
ness
, hi
s lif
e al
l th
e m
ore
a ch
aos
for
the
fact
tha
t he
doe
sn't
reco
gniz
e it
as s
uch;
a m
an w
ho re
lies
abov
e al
l on
the
exte
rior
trap
ping
s of
mod
ern
civi
liza
tion
-bus
ines
s of
fices
, co
ckta
il ba
rs,
mac
hine
s-fo
r pr
otec
tion,
who
sub
stitu
tes
bust
le a
nd s
peed
for
a s
ense
of d
irec
tion
or
purp
ose:
a m
oder
n ci
ty E
very
man
, who
se c
harm
and
·self-
conf
iden
ce a
nd
smar
tnes
s m
ake
him
esp
ecia
lly e
asy
for
the
spec
tato
r to
iden
tity
with
, so
that
at t
he s
tart
we
are
scar
cely
con
scio
us o
f his
limita
tions
as
a hu
man
be
ing.
We
can
quite
hap
pily
and
tho
ught
less
ly a
ttach
our
selv
es t
o hi
s sm
ug c
onfi
denc
e in
bei
ng in
con
trol
of h
is e
nvir
onm
ent.
And
the
n, a
brup
tly,
with
in t
en m
inut
es o
f th
e st
art
of th
e fil
m,
the
grou
nd i
s cu
t aw
ay f
rom
und
er h
is/o
ur f
eet.
Hitc
hcoc
k's
sens
e of
the
pr
ecar
ious
ness
of
all
hum
an o
rder
has
nev
er b
een
mor
e be
autif
ully
ex-
pres
sed
(thou
gh c
onve
yed
else
whe
re-i
n Th
e W
rong
Man
and
The
Bird
s, fo
r in
stan
ce-w
ith
grea
ter
inte
nsity
and
ove
rt s
erio
usne
ss)
thim
in
the
mis
take
, du
e to
she
er c
hanc
e, b
y w
hich
Tho
rnhi
ll, g
oing
to
send
a
tele
gram
to h
is m
othe
r, fi
nds
him
self
kidn
appe
d by
gun
men
. In
the
lobb
y of
a c
row
ded
hote
l, in
who
se lo
unge
bar
he
has
just
bee
n dr
inki
ng w
ith
asso
ciat
es, c
haos
abr
uptly
take
s ov
er.
The
rem
aind
er o
f th
e fil
m's
first
mov
emen
t is
devo
ted
to a
sys
tem
atic
st
ripp
ing
away
of a
ll th
e pr
otec
tive
arm
or o
f mod
ern
city
man
on
whi
ch
Thor
nhill
rel
ies
for
his
safe
ty.
ln t
he m
idst
of
crow
ds,
he b
ecom
es
com
plet
ely
isol
ated
. Th
e op
port
unis
t has
bee
n de
feat
ed b
y ch
ance
. The
m
an w
ho d
epri
ved
othe
rs o
f the
ir ta
xi is
im
pris
oned
in a
car
he
can'
t get
ou
r of
, un
able
eve
n to
attr
act
atte
ntio
n. H
e is
take
n to
the
hou
se o
f a
Mr.
Tow
nsen
d w
here
all
his
"pro
ofs"
of
iden
tity
are
disd
ainf
ully
re-
fuse
d. T
he h
eavy
dri
nker
is f
orce
d to
gul
p do
wn
imm
ense
qua
ntiti
es o
f B
ourb
on a
s a
prel
imin
ary
ro a
"dr
unk
driv
ing
acci
dent
." T
he f
act
that
he
is a
hea
vy d
rink
er, o
f cou
rse,
mak
es it
feas
ible
tha
t he
shou
ld b
e ab
le
to f
rust
rate
his
pote
ntia
l m
urde
rers
by
esca
ping
his
"ac
cide
nt";
bur
we
are
also
lef
t to
ref
lect
on
the
appr
opri
aten
ess
of s
uch
a d
eath
-it
is pr
ecis
ely
the
way
in
whi
ch T
horn
hill
mig
ht e
vent
ually
hav
e di
ed. T
he
hair
-rai
sing
dri
ve in
a c
ar a
lmos
t out
of h
is co
ntro
l is
a lo
gica
l ext
ensi
on
of h
is ba
sic
situ
atio
n. A
nd H
itchc
ock
is so
littl
e in
tere
sted
in h
is sp
ies
as
NORT
H II
Y NO
RTH
WES
T 11
5
spie
s, th
e sp
ecta
tor
is so
litt
le e
ncou
rage
d ro
inq
uire
int
o th
e pr
ecise
na
ture
of
thei
r ac
tiviti
es,
that
it
beco
mes
ver
y ea
sy t
o ac
cept
the
m a
s si
mpl
y th
e em
bodi
men
t of r
he f
orce
s of
dis
orde
r an
d su
bver
sion
: w
e ar
e no
mor
e in
tere
sted
in th
eir r
atio
nal m
otiv
atio
n th
an w
e ar
e in
that
of t
he
bird
s tw
o fil
ms
late
r. Li
ke t
he b
irds
, the
y ar
e no
r so
muc
h a
proj
ectio
n of
rhe
chao
s un
derl
ying
mod
em o
rder
a·s
the
agen
ts w
here
by r
har
orde
r is
dest
roye
d, th
e ch
aos
forc
ed u
pon
the
char
acte
rs' c
onsc
ious
ness
. Th
ornh
ill's
sens
e of
pers
onal
iden
tity
is cl
early
wea
k, a
nd u
nder
min
ed
by th
e sp
ies'
unsh
akab
le c
onvi
ctio
n th
at h
e is
Geo
rge
Kap
lan;
and
inde
ed
as a
n in
tegr
ated
hum
an b
eing
he
has
abou
t as
rea
l an
exi
sten
ce. A
t th
e po
lice
stat
ion,
he
tells
his
mot
her o
n th
e ph
one,
ver
y em
phat
ical
ly, "
Thi
s is
your
son
, R
oger
Tho
rnhi
ll" -as if
he
h<td
been
bro
ught
to t
he p
oint
of
dou
btin
g it.
The
onl
y re
latio
nshi
p of
any
app
aren
t str
engt
h, w
ith h
is m
othe
r, pr
oves
wor
se t
han
usel
ess,
her
skep
ticis
m u
nder
min
ing
him
at
ever
y st
ep;
it is
paro
died
whe
n he
ret
urns
with
the
pol
ice
to t
he T
own-
send
man
sion
by
the
false
Mrs
. Tow
nsen
d's
effu
sive
, mot
herl
y, y
et e
qual
ly
cyni
cal,
trea
tmen
t of
him
. Th
e pa
ralle
l is
emph
asiz
ed b
y H
itchc
ock'
s ha
ving
the
tw
o w
omen
(w
ho l
ook
very
muc
h al
ike)
sta
nd i
n si
mila
r po
stur
es, h
ands
fol
ded
befo
re th
em. O
ne o
f the
film
's fu
nnie
st a
nd m
ost
unco
mfo
rtab
le m
omen
ts c
omes
whe
n, d
esce
ndin
g fr
om th
eir e
xplo
ratio
n of
Kap
lan'
s ro
oms
in t
he h
otel
lift,
Tho
rnhi
ll's
mot
her
rem
arks
gai
ly r
o rh
e tw
o m
en w
ho a
lmos
t sen
t her
son
ove
r a c
liff t
he n
ight
bef
ore,
"Y
ou
gent
lem
en a
ren'
t re
ally
try
ing
to k
ill m
y so
n, a
re y
ou?"
, an
d th
e w
hole
lif
t loa
d-m
othe
r, ki
llers
, oth
er p
asse
nger
s-la
ugh
upro
ario
usly
at
the
joke
whi
le T
horn
hill
stan
ds h
elpl
essl
y in
the
ir m
idst
. W
ith c
hara
cter
istic
Hitc
hcoc
kian
out
rage
ousn
ess,
Tho
rnhi
ll's
final
pl
unge
into
cha
os is
set
in t
he s
upre
me
sym
bol o
f pot
entia
l wor
ld o
rder
,.
the
Uni
ted
Nat
ions
bui
ldin
g. A
fter
the
knifi
ng o
f the
real
Tow
nsen
d, w
e se
e Th
ornh
ill r
unni
ng f
rant
ical
ly,
a m
icro
scop
ic f
igur
e, i
n a
shot
tak
en
from
the
top
of t
he b
uild
ing,
loo
king
dir
ectly
dow
n on
him
; th
e sm
ug,
self-
conf
iden
t .ad
verti
sing
man
, so
sure
of t
he e
ffect
iven
ess
of h
is pe
rson
-al
ity,
redu
ced
to a
n al
mos
t in
dist
ingu
isha
ble
spec
k, a
nd a
com
plet
ely
isol
ated
spe
ck,
for
he i
s no
w (
as T
horn
hill)
pur
sued
by
the
forc
es o
f or
der a
s w
ell
as d
isor
der
(as
Kap
lan)
. It i
s at
this
poi
nt th
at w
e le
ave
him
fo
r a
mom
ent t
o le
arn
the
trut
h: t
he m
eetin
g in
the
Int
ellig
ence
Bur
eau
reve
als
that
Kap
lan
(on
who
se w
here
abou
ts T
horn
hill'
s fa
re d
epen
ds)
does
n't
exis
t-is
a c
onve
nien
t in
vent
ion,
a "
none
xist
ent
deco
y "
de-
sign
ed t
o di
vert
the
spi
es' a
rten
tion
from
the
rea
l age
nt.
Wha
t is
to b
e
114
HIT
CH
CO
CK
'S fi
i:H
S
done
to
prot
ect T
horn
hill?
Not
hing
. He
is to
be
left
to f
end
for
him
self,
th
row
n ba
ck o
n hi
s ow
n re
sour
ces,
all
civi
lized
pro
tect
ions
rem
oved
. T
he f
irst
mov
emen
t of
the
film
end
s w
ith t
he s
ecre
tary
's ep
itaph
on
an
unkn
own
none
ntity
: "G
ood-
bye,
Mr.
Tho
rnhi
ll, w
hoev
er y
ou a
re!"
T
he s
econ
d m
ovem
ent
begi
ns w
ith T
horn
hill,
in
the
stat
ion,
aga
in
amon
g cr
owds
, in
to w
hich
we
see
hlm
, in
lon
g sh
ot,
disa
ppea
r. Th
e en
suin
g se
quen
ce g
ives
us
the
trai
n jo
urne
y, T
horn
hill'
s m
eetin
g w
ith
Eve
Ken
dall,
and
the
firs
t sta
ge in
the
ir r
elat
ions
hip.
The
sup
erfic
ial
Eve
-it
is a
ll w
e se
e fo
r so
me
tim
e-su
gges
ts th
at sh
e is
the
perf
ect c
ount
er-
part
for T
horn
hill:
wor
ldly
, am
oral
, qui
te w
ithou
t. dep
th o
f fee
ling,
qui
te
unco
mm
itted
to a
nyth
ing
or a
nyon
e, ta
king
sex
as
she
wou
ld a
coc
ktai
l (s
he s
ays
to h
im, w
ith a
sly
sug
gest
iven
ess,
"It
's g
oing
to b
e a
long
nig
ht,
and
I do
n't
part
icul
arly
lik
e th
e bo
ok I
've
star
ted
...
know
wha
t I
mea
n?")
. The
re is
a s
light
hin
t of
nym
phom
ania
. She
see
ms
to b
e of
fer-
ing
exac
tly th
e ki
nd o
f rel
atio
nshi
p he
wou
ld w
ant:
love
-mak
ing
with
out
invo
lvem
ent,
sex
wit
hout
res
pons
ibili
ties.
But
alr
eady
, as
the
y be
gin
to
mak
e lo
ve a
fter
she
has
hid
den
him
in
her
wal
l'be
d fr
om t
he s
earc
hing
po
lice,
one
beg
ins
to b
e aw
are
of u
nder
curr
ents
. H
e w
onde
rs w
hy s
he
isn'
t afr
aid
of h
im, a
sup
pose
d m
urde
rer;
she
asks
him
if h
e is
plan
ing
co
mur
der
her.
He
asks
, "S
hall
I?";
she
mur
mur
s "P
leas
e do
," a
nd t
hey
kiss
. It
is al
l pl
ayfu
l on
the
sur
face
; bu
t as
the
y ki
ss h
is h
ands
enc
ircle
he
r he
ad a
s if
eith
er to
str
angl
e or
to c
rush
her
, and
her
s m
ove
to h
is c
o dr
aw h
im d
own,
in a
n at
titu
de o
f sur
rend
er. W
e re
aliz
e hi
s su
dden
sen
se
of t
he d
ange
r of
invo
lvem
ent
and
also
her
bar
ely
conc
eale
d w
eari
ness
an
d ye
arni
ng.
It is
all
done
with
a m
arve
lous
del
icac
y w
hich
is
in f
act
char
acte
rist
ic o
f Hitc
hcoc
k, a
lthou
gh th
is is
not
oft
en r
ecog
-ni
zed.
The
sce
ne e
nds
with
a s
hot o
f he
r lo
okin
g ov
er h
is s
houl
der,
her
ey
es d
eepl
y tr
oubl
ed;
then
she
sen
ds t
he m
essa
ge a
long
to
Van
dam
m:
"Wha
t do
I do
with
him
in t
he m
orni
ng?"
W
hat
she
does
is
to a
rran
ge f
or h
im t
o b
e m
achi
ne-g
unne
d fr
om a
pl
ane.
The
atte
mpt
on
his
life
is pr
efac
ed b
y th
eir
part
ing;
whi
ch e
nds
with
the
bea
utifu
l sh
ot o
f hi
s ha
nd t
enta
tivel
y co
veri
ng h
ers
on t
he
hand
le o
f he
r ca
se,
as s
he d
raw
s ba
ck:
thei
r m
utua
l in
volv
emen
t is
sugg
este
d w
ith r
emar
kabl
e ec
onom
y. W
hat
we
seem
to
hav
e he
re (
for
we
still
tak
e Ev
e ve
ry l
arge
ly a
t he
r fa
ce v
alue
) is
the
old
clic
he o
f th
e w
icke
d w
oman
dra
wn
into
true
love
aga
inst
her
will
. A c
urso
ry c
ompa
r-is
on w
ith w
hat
Guy
Ham
ilto
n m
akes
of
the
Puss
y G
alor
e/ja
mes
Bon
d
HO
IITH
IIY
HO
IITH
WE
ST
ll7
rela
tions
hip
will
rev
eal
the
exte
nt t
o w
hich
a "
light
ca
n ha
ve g
race
, sen
sibi
liry,
and
mor
al d
epth
if it
is d
irec
ted
by H
itchc
ock.
T
he c
rop-
dust
ing
sequ
ence
is j
ustly
fam
ous
and
seem
s w
idel
y ac
cept
ed
as o
ne o
f H
itchc
ock'
s m
ost
brill
iant
set
pie
ces.
Wha
t is
nor
so o
ften
no
ticed
, how
ever
, is
its d
epen
denc
e fo
r of
it's
effe
ct o
n irs
con
text
. C
erta
inly
, it i
s br
illia
nt in
itse
lf, a
n ob
ject
less
on in
the
bui
ldin
g up
of
a su
spen
se t
hrou
gh t
he r
epea
ted
chea
ting
of t
he a
udie
nce'
s ex
pect
atio
ns,
endi
ng in
the
fri
sson
-pro
duci
ng l
ine,
"T
hat
plan
e's
dust
ing
crop
s w
here
th
ere
ain'
t no
cro
ps,"
and
the
subs
eque
nt e
xplo
sion
int
o vi
olen
t act
ion.
Y
et th
e se
quen
ce r
etai
ns ir
s m
agic
how
ever
man
y tim
es o
ne s
ee's
the
film
-
even
aft
er o
ne k
now
s, s
hot b
y sh
ot, w
hat c
omes
nex
t, an
d it
is w
orth
as
king
why
this
sho
uld
be. T
he s
eque
nce
occu
rs a
t al
mos
t exa
ctly
mid
-po
int
in t
he f
ilm.·
Imm
edia
tely
beh
ind
it is
our
know
ledg
e of
Eve
. Ken
-da
ll's
trea
cher
y (w
e kn
ow T
horn
hill
is go
ing
to b
e at
tack
ed, t
houg
h he
do
esn'
t) an
d al
l th
e em
otio
nal
tens
ion
gene
rate
d by
the
ir r
elat
ions
hip.
Bu
r the
re is
muc
h m
ore
behi
nd it
than
tha
t. H
ithe
rto
in th
e fil
m, T
horn
-hi
ll ha
s al
way
s be
en i
nsid
e: i
nsid
e ci
ties,
build
ings
, ve
hicl
es:
and
we
know
him
as
a m
an a
t hom
e in
the
com
plac
ency
-enc
oura
ging
secu
riry
of
offic
e an
d co
ckta
il ba
r. N
ow, s
udde
nly,
he
is in
ope
n co
untr
y. A
nd n
ot
mer
ely
open
cou
ntry
: a
flat
land
scap
e, t
reel
ess,
hou
sele
ss,
shel
terle
ss,
parc
hed,
str
etch
ing
away
app
aren
tly to
infin
iry o
n al
l sid
es. I
n th
e m
idst
of
this
he
stan
ds, a
n is
olat
ed s
peck
with
the
who
le w
orld
aga
inst
him
, ab
solu
tely
exp
osed
and
vul
nera
ble:
mod
ern
man
dep
rive
d of
all
his
amen
ities
and
arti
ficia
l re
sour
ces.
The
bus
-hi
s la
st c
onta
ct w
ith
othe
r pe
ople
, with
civ
iliza
tion-
mov
es a
way
, the
cro
p-du
stin
g pl
ane
rurn
s an
d fli
es t
owar
d hi
m .
.. It
is a
mar
velo
us c
once
ptio
n, c
entr
al t
o th
e fil
m i
n m
ore
way
s th
an p
ositi
on.
Thor
nhill
's fir
st i
mag
e of
Eve
is n
ow s
hatte
red;
the
sec
ond
is eq
ually
m
isle
adin
g-th
ough
bot
h be
ar s
ome
rela
tions
hip
to t
he r
eal
Eve.
Whe
n th
ey m
eet a
gain
in t
he h
otel
, she
run
s up
to
him
, and
we
see
her
relie
f:
relie
f not
onl
y th
at h
e is
n't d
ead
bur t
hat s
he h
asn'
t bee
n re
spon
sibl
e fo
r hi
s de
ath.
His
han
ds g
o ro
und
her
head
aga
in t
o em
brac
e· he
r, in
the
ge
srur
e he
use
d on
the
tra
in; o
nly
this
tim
e th
ey d
on't
quite
cou
ch. H
e he
sita
tes,
mov
es a
way
, mak
es a
sar
cast
ic r
emar
k ab
out
"tog
ethe
rnes
s."
Ano
ther
fam
iliar
.Hitc
hcoc
k th
eme
is to
uche
d on
: the
nec
essi
ry f
or a
tru
st
base
d on
inst
inct
, eve
n w
hen
it is
quite
unr
easo
nabl
e. T
heir
sep
arat
ion
is ex
pres
sed
by re
stle
ss c
ross
cutti
ng, t
heir
par
tial
rec
onci
liatio
n (o
n hi
s si
de
us
HIT
CH
CO
CK
'S F
ILM
S
clea
rly p
rovi
sion
al a
nd s
uspi
ciou
s) b
y a
beau
tiful
cam
era
mov
emen
t tha
t un
ites
them
in
one
imag
e as
she
mov
es t
owar
d hi
m.
She
help
s hi
m
rem
ove
his
jack
et to
hav
e it
clea
ned,
and
he
says
, "W
hen
I was
a l
ittle
bo
y I w
ould
n't e
ven
let m
y m
othe
r und
ress
me"
; she
tells
him
he
is a
big
boy
now
. It
is on
e of
thos
e un
obtru
sive
, alm
ost o
ffha
nd e
xcha
nges
that
re
veal
s a
grea
t dea
l. B
efor
e sh
e le
aves
, he
asks
her
, "H
ave
you
ever
kill
ed
anyo
ne?"
-we a
re m
ade
to r
emem
ber
that
(wha
teve
r he
r m
otiv
es)
she
did
in fa
ct c
onni
ve a
t the
atte
mpt
on
his
life.
This
mid
dle
mov
emen
t of
the
film
clo
ses
with
the
auc
tion
scen
e w
hich
giv
es u
s Th
ornh
ill's
view
of E
ve a
t its
mos
t bi
tterly
dis
illus
ione
d eb
b. V
anda
mm
is s
tand
ing
behi
nd h
er, h
is ha
nd c
losi
ng
the
back
of
her
nec
k in
wha
t con
stitu
tes
at o
nce
a ca
ress
and
a th
reat
. A c
lose
-up
emph
asiz
es th
is, a
nd w
e co
nnec
t it w
ith T
horn
hill'
s em
brac
es, b
ut th
is is
fa
r m
ore
sini
ster
, an
d ex
pres
ses
the
prec
ario
usne
ss o
f Ev
e's
posi
tion
(bef
ore
we
know
the
trut
h ab
out h
er).
Tho
rnhi
ll ca
lls h
er a
"st
arue
" an
d te
lls h
er: "
Who
are
you
kid
ding
? Y
ou h
ave
no fe
elin
gs t
o hu
rt."
We
see,
but h
e do
esn'
t, th
at sh
e is
in te
ars:
the
seq
uenc
e is
a co
nden
sed
reca
pitu
-la
tion
of N
otor
ious
. Th
is is
not
so
bana
l as
it so
unds
. We
are
awar
e by
th
is t
ime
of t
he p
oten
tially
hea
ling
pow
er o
f th
e re
latio
nshi
p on
bot
h si
des
(thou
gh w
e sti
ll do
n't
know
the
rea
l na
ture
of
Eve's
nee
d);
but
it ap
pear
s-as
Tho
rnhi
ll es
cape
s, th
anks
to th
e po
lice-
irre
med
iabl
y br
oken
. Th
e fin
al m
ovem
ent o
pens
with
the
reve
rsal
of
this
situ
atio
n. A
t th
e ai
rpor
t, th
e he
ad o
f th
e C
.I.A
. te
lls T
horn
hill
the
trut
h ab
out E
ve
and
he a
ccep
ts h
is ro
le a
s K
apla
n fo
r her
sake
. Im
med
iate
ly b
efor
e, h
e a
phra
se th
at u
nite
s hi
s tw
o im
ages
of h
er: "
Tha
t tre
ache
rous
littl
e i:r
amp.
" Su
dden
ly h
e le
arns
tha
t her
life
may
dep
end
on h
im, a
nd, i
n ag
reei
ng to
be
Kap
lan,
he
is ac
cept
ing
his
resp
onsi
bilit
y an
d hi
s in
volv
emen
t in
a
deep
rel
atio
nshi
p. T
he s
exua
l ba
sis
of h
is pr
evio
us r
efus
al o
f co
mm
it·
men
t, re
ject
ion
of re
spon
sibi
liry,
is c
lear
: he
has
surv
ived
two
mar
riage
s w
hich
hav
e le
ft hi
m, a
ppar
ently
, com
plet
ely
unaf
fect
ed.
As h
e ac
cept
s, hi
s fa
ce is
sud
denl
y ill
umin
ated
by
the
light
of t
he p
lane
; and
we
cut t
o th
e fir
st s
hot
of M
ount
Rus
hmor
e. T
he c
ut h
as g
reat
em
otio
nal
effe
ct,
beca
use
it ab
rupt
ly d
efin
es f
or u
s, w
ith m
arve
lous
eco
nom
y, t
he e
volu
-tio
n of
the
hero
. For
if th
e si
gnifi
canc
e of
Mou
nt R
ushm
ore
is dr
amat
ic
rath
er t
han
sym
bolic
, it
is be
caus
e "s
ymbo
lic"
sugg
ests
som
ethi
ng t
oo
prec
ise
and
too
sim
ple.
It i
s no
t a s
ymbo
l of d
emoc
racy
sta
ndin
g ag
ains
t th
e w
icke
d ag
ents
; bu
t ce
rtain
ly, i
n its
em
otio
nal e
ffect
it s
ugge
sts
the
orde
r an
d st
abili
ry to
war
d w
hich
Tho
rnhi
ll is
prog
ress
ing,
and
to w
hich
NO
RT
H II
Y N
OR
TH
WE
ST
ll9
the
acce
ptan
ce o
f a
stro
ng r
elat
ions
hip
with
its
acco
mpa
nyin
g re
spon
si-bi
litie
s is
the
esse
ntia
l ste
p.[:
u]
The
scen
e of
his
rec
onci
liatio
n w
ith E
ve (
afte
r th
e fa
lse s
hoot
ing)
is
perh
aps
the
mos
t be
autif
ul i
n th
e fil
m.
Firs
t, th
e lo
catio
n: f
or t
he f
irst
rime
in t
fie fi
lm w
e ar
e am
ong
trees
, coo
l cal
m s
unlig
ht a
nd s
had
e-th
e ef
fect
is m
ore
a m
atte
r of
con
text
tha
n ot
the
intr
insi
c be
aury
of
the
scen
ery,
and
(as
usua
l in
this
film
, in
deed
in a
ll H
itchc
ock'
s w
ork)
mor
e of
ove
rtone
s an
d as
soci
atio
ns th
an o
f ove
rt, c
lear
-cut
sym
bolis
m; i
t is
an
apt s
ettin
g fo
r th
e be
ginn
ing
of n
ew li
fe. S
econ
d, t
he m
ise-e
n-sc
ene.
As
rhe
"dea
d" T
horn
hili
gets
out o
f the
bac
k of
the
car,
the
cam
era
trac
ks
back
to re
veal
Eve
sta
ndin
g by
her
car
to th
e rig
ht. W
e se
e th
em in
lon
g sh
ot g
azin
g at
eac
h ot
her
from
the
ext
rem
ities
of
the
scre
en, a
cros
s th
e sp
ace
of tr
ees
and
filte
red
sunl
ight
, eve
ryth
ing
still,
the
tw
o he
sita
nt,
as
if sh
y of
each
oth
er. T
hen
a sh
ot o
f Tho
rnhi
ll as
he
begi
ns to
mov
e: t
he
cam
era
track
s w
ith h
im, l
eft t
o rig
ht.
Cut
to a
sho
t of E
ve a
s sh
e st
arts
fo
rwar
d: t
he c
amer
a tra
cks
with
her
fro
m r
ight
to le
ft. A
nd s
o th
ey a
re
unite
d: H
itchc
ock
beau
tiful
ly in
volv
es t
he s
pect
ator
in t
heir
mov
emen
t to
war
d ea
ch o
ther
, the
ir m
ovem
ent t
owar
d th
e "t
oget
hern
ess"
tha
t was
ea
rlier
(for
Tho
rnhi
ll) a
con
tem
ptuo
us sn
eer.
We,
and
Tho
rnhi
ll, s
ee a
t la
st th
e re
al E
ve; o
r pe
rhap
s it
is tr
uer
to
say
that
the
real
Eve
now
em
erge
s: h
er t
rue
iden
tiry
is cr
eate
d-o
r at
le
ast c
ryst
alliz
ed-b
y th
e re
latio
nshi
p, s
uper
cedi
ng (o
r pe
rhap
s as
sim
i-la
ting)
her
tw
o ea
rlier
per
sona
e. B
ut i
t is
mad
e cl
ear
that
tho
se e
arlie
r Ev
es,
part
ly a
rtific
ial,
are
wha
t she
cou
ld h
ave
beco
me,
jus
t as
the
real
Ju
dy B
arto
n co
ntai
ns e
lem
ents
of
her
two
adop
ted
"per
sona
litie
s" (
in
Vert
igo
the
dist
inct
ion
betw
een
them
is o
f cou
rse
muc
h gr
eate
r). I
t is
the
real
Eve
who
tells
Tho
rnhi
ll, w
ith a
tou
chin
g ge
ntle
ness
, how
dee
ply
his
wor
ds h
urt;
but a
lmos
t at o
nce,
we
get a
glim
pse
of th
e fir
st Ev
e, th
e Ev
e of
the
tra
in j
ourn
ey,
in h
er d
escr
iptio
n of
her
rel
atio
nshi
p w
ith V
an-
dam
m:
"I h
ad n
othi
ng to
do
that
wee
kend
, so
I dec
ided
to
fall
in lo
ve."
Th
en h
er c
omm
ent
on h
er d
ecis
ion
to h
elp
Inte
llige
nce
("M
aybe
tha
t w
as t
he f
irst
time
anyo
ne e
ver
aske
d m
e to
do
anyt
hing
wor
thw
hile
")
give
s us
the
pot
entia
lly r
uthl
ess
Eve-
ruth
less
in
a go
od c
ause
-wh
o co
uld
send
Tho
rnhi
ll (w
ith w
hate
ver
qual
ms)
to
his
deat
h an
d w
ho is
sti
ll re
ady
to s
acrif
ice
thei
r. rel
atio
nshi
p fo
r th
e "c
ause
."
stra
nds
are
draw
n to
geth
er in
the
ens
uing
dia
logu
e ex
chan
ge:
"Has
life
bee
n lik
e th
at?"
he
asks
her
, and
she
asse
nts.
"How
com
e?"-
"Men
like
you
!"-
"Wha
t's w
rong
with
men
like
me?"-
"The
y do
n't b
elie
ve in
mar
riag
e."
HIT
CH
CO
CK
'S F
ILM
S
He
tells
her
he'
s be
en m
arri
ed tw
ice:
her
com
men
t, "S
ee w
hat I
mea
n?"
Circ
umst
ance
s ha
ve s
teer
ed h
er to
war
d be
ing
one
or o
ther
of t
he e
arlie
r Ev
es;
now
, in
the
rel
atio
nshi
p w
ith T
horn
hill,
her
tru
e se
lf ca
n be
re
aliz
ed.
She
mak
es i
t cle
ar t
hat t
his
mar
riag
e is
one,
at
last
, th
at h
e w
ill n
ot
easi
ly e
scap
e. H
is re
actio
n is
jocu
lar,
cyni
cal-
"I m
ay g
o ba
ck to
hat
ing
you:
it w
as m
ore
fun.
" H
is e
xpre
ssio
n an
d to
ne b
elie
the
wor
ds, b
ut th
ey
serv
e to
bri
ng b
efor
e us
the
man
's p
revi
ous
fear
of r
eal
invo
lvem
ent,
of
resp
onsi
bilit
y. H
itch
cock
-her
e an
d in
Rea
r Win
dow
-giv
es u
s no
sim
-pl
e "r
edem
ptio
n th
roug
h lo
ve,"
no
abru
pt tr
ansf
orm
atio
n; ju
st a
del
icat
e in
timat
ion
of t
he p
oten
tial
heal
ing
pow
er. o
f a
bala
nced
, pe
rman
em
rela
tions
hip.
Eve
rem
inds
him
that
he
"is
mea
nt to
be
criti
cally
wou
nded
" he
repl
ies,
"I
neve
r fel
t mor
e al
ive.
" T
hat
char
min
g fa
ther
fig
ure,
the
hea
d of
the
C.I.
A.,
who
m J
ean
Dou
chet
app
ears
to s
ugge
st is
som
e ki
nd o
f Div
ine
Inst
rum
ent,
seem
s ro
m
e ro
com
e ou
t of t
hing
s pr
etty
bad
ly. T
he fi
lm is
sur
ely
solid
ly b
ehin
d Th
ornh
ill i
n re
ject
ing
the
use
of a
wom
an t
o "g
et p
eopl
e lik
e V
an-
dam
m":
pro
stitu
tion,
in
how
ever
adm
irab
le a
cau
se,
rem
ains
pro
stitu
-tio
n. M
ixed
mor
alit
y-th
e pu
rsui
ng o
f a
good
end
by
conv
entio
nally
im
mor
al m
eans
like
Mar
k R
utla
nd's
in M
arni
e-is
jus
tifie
d by
Hitc
h-co
ck o
nly
as t
he o
utco
me
of p
ower
ful
inst
inct
ive
driv
es,
of b
asic
ally
ri g
ht f
eelin
gs,
nor
whe
n it
com
es t
o co
ld c
alcu
latio
n: j
ustif
iabl
e, t
here
· fo
re,
only
on
the
pers
onal
lev
el,
not
on t
he p
oliti
cal.
We
are
entir
ely
behi
nd T
horn
hill,
the
n, i
n hi
s ar
rem
prs
to e
xtri
cate
Eve
-in
the
dete
r-m
ined
pos
itive
act
ion
that
res
ults
fro
m h
is ac
cept
ance
of
pers
onal
re-
spon
sibi
lity.
B
efor
e th
e M
ount
Rus
hmor
e cl
imax
, we
have
Tho
rnhi
ll's
atte
mpt
s ro
re
scue
Eve
fro
m V
anda
mm
's h
ouse
, V
anda
mm
's d
isco
very
of
her
true
na
ture
, and
his
plan
s to
dis
pose
of h
er o
ver
the
sea.
Leo
nard
is b
uilt
up
here
as
the
inca
rnat
ion
of d
estr
uctio
n an
d ne
gatio
n. H
is m
otiv
e is
sexu
al
jeal
ousy
-jea
lous
y of
Eve
, his
riv
al fo
r Van
dam
m. H
e di
sclo
ses
the
trut
h ab
out E
ve i
n a
mel
odra
mat
ic, v
indi
ctiv
e w
ay, b
y "s
hoot
ing"
Van
dam
m
with
her
bla
nk-l
oade
d re
volv
er.
The
clim
ax is
pla
yed
our o
n an
d ar
ound
the
impe
rtur
babl
e st
one
face
s of
the
Pres
iden
ts,
with
the
ir su
gges
tion
of s
tabi
lity
and
orde
r fo
rmin
g a
back
grou
nd ro
Tho
rnhi
ll's
desp
erat
e st
rugg
le to
save
him
self
and
Eve
for
life.
As
they
dan
gle
from
a le
dge
by th
eir h
ands
, the
y di
scus
s-w
ith
tota
l ab
surd
ity o
n a
natu
ralis
tic l
evel
-Tho
rnhi
ll's
first
two
mar
riage
s: "
My
NORT
H B
Y NO
RTH
WES
T 14
1
wiv
es d
ivor
ced
me
...
I thi
nk th
ey sa
id I
led
roo
dull
a lif
e."
The
stru
ggle
fo
r life
aga
inst
the
dest
ruct
ive
elem
ents
(th
e sp
ies)
is t
hus
com
bine
d w
ith
the
cem
entin
g of
the
rela
tions
hip,
the
seal
ing
off o
f the
pas
t. T
he jo
inin
g of
the
love
rs' h
ands
der
ives
som
e of
its
emot
iona
l and
mor
al f
orce
fro
m
our
view
it
as r
he c
limax
of
a se
quen
ce o
f sh
ots
of t
heir
han
ds
touc
hing
(to
mar
k ph
ases
in
the
rela
tions
hip)
ear
lier:
her
sens
uous
ca-
ress
ing
of h
is ha
nd o
ver t
he lu
nch
tabl
e on
tr
ain,
whe
n sh
e lo
oked
at
his
"R.
0.
T."
boo
kmat
ches
; hi
s pr
essu
re o
n he
r ha
nd a
t th
e C
hica
go
stat
ion
as t
hey
say
good
-bye
, aft
er s
he h
as a
rran
ged
the
"mee
ting"
with
K
apla
n. E
vent
ually
, Tho
rnhi
ll is
hang
ing
by o
ne h
and,
hol
ding
the
dan-
glin
g Ev
e by
the
oth
er, a
gre
at a
byss
ben
eath
them
: fin
al t
est o
f sta
min
a,
with
eve
ryth
ing
stak
ed o
n hi
s po
wer
s of
end
uran
ce a
nd d
eter
min
atio
n.
Leon
ard
stan
ds a
bove
them
; Tho
rnhi
ll's
"Hel
p! H
elp
me!
" is
give
n gr
eat
forc
e. T
hen
Leon
ard
trea
ds o
n Th
ornh
ill's
hand
. Tho
rnhi
ll su
rviv
es t
he
trial
for
lon
g en
ough
: Le
onar
d is
shot
dow
n. W
e se
e Th
ornh
ill p
ullin
g Ev
e to
saf
ety.
An
abru
pt c
ut, b
ut w
ith o
verl
appi
ng d
ialo
gue,
mak
es t
he
actio
n cu
lmin
ate
in h
is pu
lling
her
up
into
bed
on
a tr
ain,
as
"Mrs
. Th
ornh
ill" -
a b
eaut
iful w
ay o
f exp
ress
ing
the
link
betw
een
his
surv
ival
of
the
orde
al a
nd th
eir r
elat
ions
hip.
The
last
sho
t is
of a
trai
n en
teri
ng a
tu
nnel
: the
"ph
allic
sym
bol"
tow
ard
whi
ch t
he w
hole
film
has
mov
ed.
lr w
ill b
e ob
ject
ed t
hat t
his
acco
unt o
f N
orth
by
Nor
thw
est m
akes
it
far
roo
seri
ous.
But
its
char
ms,
its
def
tnes
s, t
he c
onst
ant f
low
of
inve
n-tio
n, it
s hu
mor
and
exh
ilara
tion,
are
ther
e fo
r al
l to
see.
All
I hav
e tr
ied
ro d
o is
adju
st rh
e ba
lanc
e: n
ot to
turn
a l
ight
com
edy
into
an
unsm
iling
m
oral
ity p
lay,
but
to
sugg
est w
hy N
orth
by
Nor
thw
est
is su
ch a
ver
y,
very
goo
d lig
ht c
omed
y.
top related