My Favourite Romantic Subplot: North by Northwest

The chemistry between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in Hitchcock’s sublime spy thriller is electrifying

Credit: MGM

Warning: Contains spoilers

North by Northwest (1959) was the first Hitchcock film I ever saw, when I was nine. My father told me I’d love it, and he was right. In fact, it’s pretty much my favourite spy film of all time. But what went over my head during that first viewing, and what delights me most about the film these days, is the cracking r…