[Indi]

North by Northwest vs. The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Rules:
No polls, just a review and your opinion on why you believe the film you've chosen should stay higher up in the list. 50 words or more, 40 is accepted if you have expressed your opinion in a satisfactory standard.

Have fun!

[ShaneHunter]

North by Northwest. It's closer than one may think, both films are amazing in their own right but Cary Grant is one of those charismatic protagonists and the whole adventure aspect of North by Northwest wins out for me. Plus the direction is perfect as one would come to expect of Hitchcock.

[Marlowe.]

I watched The Wind that Shakes the Barley last tonight, thinking that that way I could come here and say North by Northwest is heaps better without lying through my ass. Turns out it's not heaps better - but nothing has changed my mind.

The Wind that Shakes the Barely - firstly, there was a large language barrier; almost every character in Barley spoke in a thick Irish accent, and there were no subtitles, so I could really only understand the feral and overly-violent English army arseholes. I had little knowledge beforehand of the 'Irish War of Independence' or the 'The Irish Civil War' (Ireland had a civil war?) - so I will say this movie does serve as a nice textbook to some of the goings on of that era in Ireland, although nothing an actual textbook couldn't properly explain to you.
It's all adequately acted and directed but I never felt anything for/or rooting for Cillian Murphy and his IRA buddies, and not as much I really f*cking hated the brutal English soldiers; I mean, all that was missing was a rape scene and a death camp to cement these guys as bad as Nazis.


North by Northwest has all of the ingredients that make a great Alfred Hitchcock film; mystery, adventure, comedy, action, romance, and none of it at all compromises the quality of the movie. It's got a excellent performance from Cary Grant, a witty script, wonderful cinematography and one of the most memorable scenes in film history: the crop-duster shooting at Cary Grant in the cornfield. Hitchcock is far from my favourite filmmaker, but there's no denying he's a master at his craft and Northwest is a fine example of that.

I vote North by Northwest

[DeeperRed]

I rewatched North by North West last night because I hadn't seen it since I was 12 years old, and couldn't remember anything other then the aforementioned crop duster scene and the claiming of mt Rushmoore. Rewatching it I remembered why I loved it so much when I was younger, and found new reasons to love it now such as acting and the fantastic direction. Now I saw the Wind that shakes the barley a few years back on television and like Marlowe mentions there was a strong hatred for the British army men with there beatings and unjust cruelty. The film was touching but I never thought anything of it. North by north west is a classic action movie that still holds up today

[El_Diablo]

I couldn't really add a whole lot to this discussion that hasn't already been said.

my vote would have to be for North By Northwest.
it doesn't get much more iconic than that.

the crop dusting fields.
Mount Rushmore visitors center.
the bungalow house.

it's making me want to go watch it again right now.

[Indi]

Voting closed.

North by Northwest wins.