North by Northwest is a glamorous and glossy 1959 film directed by Carry Grant and starring Alfred Hitchcock. It’s a larger-than-life fantasy that offers an escape from the rigid, conformist 1950s. North by Northwest set the standard for all thriller films by creating the most classic moments in films following the structure of the hero's journey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Ernest Lehman's screenplay has a classic hero's journey structure. It’s the story of a handsome, “ordinary” but successful man who is in control of his life, sparking his call to adventure. This happens when Thornhill is mistaken by men suspicious for George Kaplan. He meets his mentor who is the Professor, he is tested and has near-death experiences like in the spreader scene. Nevertheless, he succeeds and saves the damsel in distress that is Eve. Hitchcock maneuvered the storyline to add to the hero's journey by creating even more suspense and dynamism. The storyline begins with the narrator saying, "Wouldn't it be strange, in a city of seven million people, if one man was never wrong about another." “Hitchcock did not include the narrator's voice at the beginning of the film to have more unexpectedness. Instead, it moves on to the part where Thornhill instructs his secretary to make the main character a very controlling man. So it's more striking when Thornhill is suddenly kidnapped and doesn't know what to do. Another example of Hitchcock's raising of tensions is the crop dusting scene. He again cuts off the script's very detailed description of the scene to the man on the bus, saying, "This plane is dusting crops where there are none." The tension thus increases again. The characters are also presented as archetypes of a hero's journey. Thornhill is the classic “knight in shining armor” played by Carry Grant. He is the cool ladies' man, the stylish and handsome protagonist of the story. Eve is the damsel in distress played by Eva Marie Saint. She is mysterious and troublesome, ready to be saved by her prince. To her credit, the story portrays her as a strong woman who had a difficult past and now works for national security. Nevertheless, she is still saved in the end by Thornhill and in the end she marries him, which is her greatest achievement in the film. There is also the mentor archetype which is The Professor played by Leo G. Carrol. He is the one who explains everything to Thornhill and to the public. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Through the Hero's Journey, North by Northwest depicts the 1950s. After the war, men returned home to live the American dream. They were, like Thornhill in the film, the heroes and protectors of the American way, ready to save the day, then finally marry and settle down. The film shows the conventional way of thinking of a time when values ​​like money, success and appearances were important and women waited patiently for men to save them..