Alfred Hitchcock's film North by Northwest (1959) is famous as a classic man-on-the-run thriller, following the protagonist Roger Thornhill as he flees across state lines in a mad dash. rush to save his life and unravel the mystery of his extraordinary situation. However, midway through the film, Thornhill's dilemma is further complicated by the introduction of Eve Kendall, a beautiful but mysterious woman he meets on a train while escaping the authorities and people trying to kill him . During the dining room scene on the train, Hitchcock skillfully uses the camera to convey the character's thoughts and feelings. Interestingly, in a film that has several sequences with complicated cinematography and editing, the dining car scene is rather restrained in comparison. Hitchcock uses nominal elements of mise-en-scène and instead chooses to focus the camera largely on the subtleties of the actors' performances. Hitchcock films the dining car scene in such a way that it gives the impression that the audience is eavesdropping on what is happening. flirtations of a newly-acquainted couple, but with a twist. The dialogue portion of the scene begins with a medium shot of Thornhill and Eve sitting, while keeping both in frame for the first half of their conversation. This allows the audience to see a measure of body language in addition to the characters' faces. It is worth noting how Hitchcock ends the conversation in the dining car with point-of-view (POV) shots, but the POV shot is not used during the conversation between Thornhill and Eve (the first is Eve's when Thornhill recognizes her as the woman who helped him earlier, and the second of the two police officers as they board the train). Although the scene takes place in a well-lit and crowded location...... middle of paper ... this adds yet another layer of complexity to North by Northwest. Hitchcock skillfully introduces Eve (a major character) to the film in just a few minutes, without it feeling too convoluted or forced. Additionally, capturing the unique juxtaposition of the unpretentious setting with the conversation of the plot makes the scene stand out even more. The dining car scene in North by Northwest is an example of how Hitchcock skillfully creates a sequence that is both simple and complex. The dialogue that is not spoken speaks as much, if not more, than that which is; the reserved cinematography lets the dynamic performances shine through. In a film praised for its innovative scenes and technical achievements, the dining car scene is perhaps the best in all of Hitchcock's play, as it serves as a prime example of his shift from complex sequences to understated brilliance..