North By Northwest
Lines appear, forming slanted boxes on which the credits appearThe lines become the windows of a large buildingMain character talks to his secretary about his plansThey go over his schedule for the next day while driving to his appointmentHe asks her to call his mother and remind her of their evening engagementAs she drives away, he remembers that his mother can't be reached at the usual number, but doesn't have time to tell his secretary before the cab drives awayFunction/Theme: Shows busy office lifeExplanation: Roger Thornhill's life is full of activityRoger Thornhill attracts the porter's attention to ask him about sending his mother a telegramThe villains see him and assume that he's George KaplanAs he follows the porter, he's stopped by two men, one of whom has a gun, and is led away, insisting that they've made a mistakeFunction/Theme: The wrong place at the wrong time/Mistakes happenExplanation: Thornhill is seen talking to the porter who'd been looking for George Kaplan, and it's assumed that he is therefore KaplanThornhill tried to engage the man on his le
Thornhill is skeptical as she asks the men if they're really trying to murder her son, causing everyone to break out into laughter - genuine on the part of the villains, nervous on the part of the motherThe elevator reaches the lobby and Thornhill escorts the ladies out first as a pretext for his escape from the men following himFunction/Theme: Shows that Thornhill's mother had little faith in him, and doesn't believe his story/When the truth is so bizarre, it's difficult to make people believe that it is in fact the truth - even loved onesUNITED STATES . Thornhill refuses and assures her son that she wouldn't do such a thing for any amount of money, but relents when he offers her $50As Thornhill and his mother are about to enter the room, they're stopped by a maid and Thornhill gets nervous that he'll be caughtIn the hotel room, Thornhill finds a picture of the fraudulent Mr. Townsend," and learn from his "wife" that he's at the United NationsAs the detectives and company exists, one of the men who was involved in Thornhill's kidnapping looks up from trimming the bushes around the front doorFunction/Theme: Shows what great lengths the villains are willing to go to in order to protect themselvesExplanation: Thornhill brings the authorities and his mother to the room where he'd been help captive, only to find that someone had altered it, and the people he'd seen the previous evening had created an elaborate lie to cover their tracks HOTEL/KAPLAN'S ROOMThornhill and his mother find George Kaplan's room, but discover he isn't there when Thornhill tried to call from the lobbyThornhill bargains with his mother, asking her to put on a smile and go get Kaplan's room key Mrs. ft in conversation to find out what's happening and is frustrated when his attempts failThornhill leans over the man on his left to try to escape, but finds the door is locked and is disappointedFunction/Theme: Shows Thornhill's persistence/Making the best out of a bad situation Heather GarrettExplanation: Thornhill had been kidnapped and is on his way to an unknown locationTOWNSEND ESTATE/LIBRARY"Lester Townsend" enters and engages "George Kaplan" in conversation about who he isLeonard enters"Townsend" refers to Thornhill as "Kaplan," and Thornhill tries to explain his identity"Townsend" hints that "Kaplan" might not survive the evening if he doesn't cooperateThornhill insists that he has to be on his way to the theater in New York to see a play he's been looking forward to, and is confused and angry that the mystery men won't believe that he isn't Kaplan"Townsend" reads a list of hotels and cities where "Kaplan" has been recently in an effort to get "Kaplan" to stop pretending that he isn't George KaplanThornhill refuses to cooperate with "Townsend"Leonard offers him a drink, and encourages him to take it, or they will have to force the bourbon on him Thornhill makes a dash for the door, but is shoved back down into the couchLeonard pours him a tall glass of liquor and forces him to drink itFunction/Theme: Shows the "bad guys" as unwilling to compromise/When you know you're right, YOU'RE RIGHTExplanation: Thornhill has been mistaken for someone else and tried to explain the situation, but cannot get through to his kidnappers. Thornhill accompany Thornhill to the estate, where they are greeted by the maid who says she recognizes Thornhill Heather GarrettThornhill becomes excitable upon entering the library and is anxious to show the couch cushions where liquor was spilled and the cabinet where it was stored the previous eveningThornhill is frustrated to discover that no proof of last night's visit remains"Mrs. TownsendThornhill discovers that while many of the employees of the hotel know his name and corresponding room, they haven't ever seen his face, and he is perplexed by the situation"Mr. AGENCYThornhill is on the front page of the paper, and several people around a read the article about him and his alter identity, George KaplanThe group discusses the fact that George Kaplan doesn't exist, he's a decoy to keep their real agent's name secretVan Dam is introduced as the men trying to kill Thornhill, and there is some concern over what should be done to protect the innocent man who has mistakenly walked in on their operationThe Professor states that trying to keep Thornhill out of harm's way will only cause trouble for their real agent, that a live decoy is better than an imaginary one, and that the elaborate rouse must go on, despite the consequencesThere is a feeling of helplessness around the table over the group's inability to stop Thornhill's impending demise, and the lone woman wishes him well Heather GarrettFunction/Theme: Shows that the kidnapper was NOT the real Townsend/The more hopeless the situation, the more desperate the actions needed to escape itTRAIN STATION/TRAINThornhill dons sunglasses to disguise himselfWhen he tried to get a ticket on a train that's leaving in five minutes, the clerk questions the glasses and calls for help, only to turn around and find that the "murderer" had fledOn the train, Thornhill ducks into a room as the police pass by, and a woman in the hallway tells them that she thinks he'd gotten off the trainThornhill hides in the bathroom while the train clerks check everyone's ticket, and emerges to find a copy of a newspaper with his face all over it, which is promptly hides under a bookFunction/Theme: Introduces Eve Kendall/Friends can be found in odd placesExplanation: Thornhill hops on the train to escape the police, but they board the train and almost catch him, until he ducks into a doorway and Eve tells them that he's goneDINING CARThornhill enters the dining car and is seated with the mystery woman who'd helped him elude the police Thornhill and his dining companion have an instant rapport, and exchange flirtatious pleasantriesThe woman admits that she'd tipped the steward to have them seated together, and continuous to come on to ThornhillThornhill learns that the mystery woman's name is Eve KendallEve admits that she knows who he is, but won't tell anyone, and doesn't seem afraid to be eating with a so-called murdererEve gives Thornhill her room number and suggests calmly that he not linger over his meal because two policemen have boarded the trainFunction/Theme: Roger and Eve get acquainted/Life is easier with an allyEVE'S ROOMThornhill speaks to Eve from an upper compartment where she's stuffed him to hide until the police have left Heather GarrettState police question her about her companion in the dining car, and Eve explains that they didn't know each other, were merely making conversation, and speculated that he had gotten off the train when they got ONEve lets Thornhill out of his tight quarters and offers not only to let him stay in her hotel, but to look for George Kaplan and locate him for ThornhillThornhill and Eve share a kiss and are clearly attracted to one anotherThe porter buzzes, and Thornhill hides in the wash room while Eve gives the porter back his key and asks that he leave the water closet aloneWhen the coast is clear, Thornhill and Eve are left alone sitting on the bed in a passionate embrace, and despite their ardor, Eve mentions that he will be sleeping on the floorFunction/Theme: Put Eve and Roger together as a love match, to show that she's on his side/Creativity and quick-thinking save the day every timeExplanation: Eve and Roger are attracted to each other, and both want him to escape the train aliveVILLIAN'S ROOMThe men who kidnapped Thornhill receive a note from Eve, asking what she should do with him in the morningFunction/Theme: To show that Eve is more than she seems/Friends can be fickleExplanation: Eve is working both sidesPLATFORMEve dresses Roger up like a porter to help him escape suspicionWhen the police find the porter without his uniform, he points them in the wrong direction and then happily begins counting his moneyFunction/Theme: To get Roger away from the police and their suspicion/Brain over brawnExplanation: Eve has Roger dress up so everyone will overlook him, until the coast is clear, and then everyone will be looking for the wrong manCHICAGO TRAIN STATIONEve gets detailed instructions from "Kaplan" Heather GarrettFunction/Theme: Show's Eve's involvement in the Kaplan conspiracyMIDDLE OF NOWHERERoger gets off the bus and waits for Kaplan to arrive, looking confused as cars passA man gets out of the car and Roger crosses the street to talk to him, but he isn't the one Roger is looking forThe man notices the crop duster in the distance and remarks that it's oddThe crop duster dives at Roger several times, shooting at him while he runs, still confused as to why someone wants him deadRoger hides in a field of corn, trying to escape the dive bombings of the planeRoger sees a truck and runs in front of it, forcing the driver to stopThe crop duster crashes into the truck and everyone scatters, while Roger climbs into someone's vehicle and drives offFunction/Theme: Roger's life is in dangerExplanation: Roger goes out into the middle of nowhere to meet Kaplan and winds up being chased by a crop duster who's trying to kill him "KAPLAN'S" HOTELRoger discovers that Kaplan has checked out and is going to Rapid CityRoger sees Eve in the lobby and asks the clerk for her number, becoming suspicious of her and her connection to KaplanFunction/Theme: Roger is becoming wary of EveExplanation: Roger goes back to the hotel looking for Kaplan but finds EveEVE'S ROOMEve sees Roger and embraces him, obviously surprised that he's still aliveRoger sees that she has a copy of that day's paper, in which his oil truck adventure is headlinedHe questions her about KaplanEve answers the phone, joys down an address, and sticks it in her purseShe asks Roger to do her a favor, to leave and never see her again Heather GarrettThey had off his suit to the valetEve leaves while Roger is in the showerRoger is NOT in the shower, but makes sure she is gone and colors over the blank pad to make a copy of the address she'd writtenFunction/Theme: Roger discovers that there's more to Eve than meets the eyeExplanation: Roger discovers that Eve knows more about Kaplan than she's letting on and is deeply involved in whatever he's stumbled into, therefore he decides to follow her and try to discover moreBUILDING 1212Roger follows Eve to an auction, where she is spending time with the men who'd kidnapped him, Van Dam and companyAs Roger and Van Dam interact, there are hints of manslaughterEve and the men both want him to stay clear of the policeEve and Van Dam leave together, his cronies block the entrances so Roger won't be able to leaveTo attract attention, Roger under and over bids for various items, causing a scene and drawing the police who take him out, away from the men trying to do him harmThe Professor is seen, and leaves to make a phone callFunction/Theme: To find Eve and discover more about what's going on/People aren't always what they seem to beExplanation: Roger follows Eve to an auction, where Van Dam threatens him bodily harm, and cleverly draws attention to himself to get himself taken away by the police and escape Van Dam's goonsPOLICE CARRoger thanks the two officers for saving his life, congratulated them on catching a car thief and murderer, and listens as the one driving makes a cryptic call letting the station know who they have; the man is puzzled by the instructions he receivesFunction/Theme: To add mystery to the plot, and show that it's infiltrated the justice system Heather GarrettExplanation: Roger tells the officers who he is and what he's done, and convinces them to call the main station, only to be dropped off to the custody of a mysterious strangerNORTHWESTERN AIRPORTThe Professor takes Roger for a walk outside and explains that they will be going to Rapid City - the city from which Dan Dam is planning to leave the country - and explains that Van Dam is in the import/export businessRoger is told that there IS no George KaplanThe Professor asks him to masquerade as Kaplan, but Roger declinesIn order to manipulate Roger into being their decoy, the Professor tells him that Eve is the agent that they're trying to protect, and explains what kind of a fate she might be facing if he doesn't helpFunction/Theme: To explain Eve's behavior/Sometimes it's necessary to do unpleasant things for justice to eventually prevailRUSHMORE/RESTAURANTVan Dam and company arrive, and Roger offers not to expose him or spoil his departure plans in exchange for Eve, claiming that he wants to make her life uncomfortable after the way she treated himRoger takes Eve aside and she starts to make a scene, then shoots him and runs off to a yellow car and escapesFunction/Theme: To cast suspicion on Eve, and add suspense about Roger's healthExplanation: Eve shoots Roger to prove that she isn't on his side, and he falls while she makes her escapeWOODSRoger and Eve meet up againRoger and Eve each apologize to the otherEve has to go, but Roger wants her to stay because she might be risking too muchHis escort punches Roger in the face to get him to cooperate with their plansFunction/Theme: Eve really is on Roger's side, and Roger is okay/Allies pull through in the endExplanation: Eve is dedicated to her work as a spy, and refuses to be convinced to stop, even by the man she's falling in love with Heather GarrettHOSPITAL ROOMThe Professor tells Roger that he has to stay there - locked in - so that no one will suspect that he isn't seriously woundedWhile the Professor is off looking for some liquor, Roger opens the window, climbs out, climbs into another patient's window, and disappears from the hospitalFunction/Theme: To show Roger's determination to save the woman he loves/Love makes us do crazy and risky thingsExplanation: Roger is locked up in a hospital room so that no one will see him alive, but is determined to escape and warn Eve that her life is in dangerOUTSIDE/INSIDE A HOUSE IN THE WOODSLights flash three times on a runway nearbyEve is talking to Van Dam, upset about shooting a manVan Dam and Leonard have a private goodbye, during which it is revealed that the treasure they're taking out of the country is filled with microfilmLeonard voices his suspicions about Eve, namely how convenient it is that she has to come with them out of the country; Van Dam is upset about Leonard's accusations and denies that anything could b wrongLeonard shoots Van Dam with Eve's gun, which only has blanksVan Dan punches Leonard in the face, but sees the truth and is shaken by itRoger writes a message to Eve about the danger she's in on the inside cover of his monogrammed matchbook and throws it down to her, where she eventually discovers it after Leonard picks it up and puts it on the tableThe three travelers leave and Roger is descending the stairs when the maid sees his reflection in the television set and goes to get the gunFunction/Theme: For Van Dam to realize that Eve isn't really on his side/Be careful who you trust and/or fall in love with Heather GarrettExplanation: Leonard thinks that Eve is a spy trying to get inside information and tries to convince Van Dam that his love is betraying him, but Van Dam is unwilling to believe until he's faced with undeniable proof - a NON-smoking gunOUTSIDE THE HOUSE/MOUNT RUSHMOREShooting is heard, but the shots were fired with Eve's gun full of blanks, and Roger comes running out of the house and gets in his carEve grabs the treasure from Van Dam and runs to the car, but they can't escape using the vehicle, so they try by footOn the way down the slope, Roger proposes to Eve As they climb down the monument, Eve's heal breaks and she begins to fallVan Dam jumps on Roger with a knife, but Roger pushes him and Van Dam falls into the ravineLeonard pushes Eve, who begins to fall, but Roger jumps in to save herRoger asks Man to help, but he steps on Rogers foot instead, and is then shot by men on a nearby ledgeFunction/Theme: Allows Roger and Eve to escape while punishing the "bad guys"/The good guys always winExplanation: Eve and Roger escape Van Dam and his man, and narrowly avoid death while climbing down Mount RushmoreTRAINEve has become Mrs. Townsend" calls from the lobby, addressing Thornhill as "Kaplan," and is glad to hear that the man staying in Kaplan's room is "in"Thornhill grabs his mother and makes a hasty and panicked retreat to the elevator Heather GarrettFunction/Theme: Shows George Kaplan has never been seen by any of the staff/Hints at an imaginary manExplanation: Thornhill is repeatedly mistaken for Kaplan, leading him to believe that they must look alike, and is tracked down by his kidnappers ELEVATORAs "Mr. Townsend" and company get out of one elevator, Thornhill and his mother enter another, and are followed Mrs. He tries to stay calm, but is eventually forced to drink large amounts of liquor to get him extremely drunkCARTownsend is put into the drivers seat drunk, singing about bourbonA man sits in the passenger seat and starts the car, directing it towards a cliff, assuming that "Kaplan" is too drunk to set the vehicle right and will die as a result of "drunk driving"Thornhill pushes the man out of the car and takes the wheelThe car starts to go over the edge, but Thornhill rights it and begins to drive speedily away from the man trying to kill him Heather GarrettHis drunk condition has left Thornhill's reflexes a little slow, and he almost causes a crash, but swerves at the last minuteThornhill speeds by a police officer sitting by the side of the road, who then jumps in to his cruiser and starts to pursue the suspected drunk driverThornhill appears to hear something, but doesn't associate it with a police siren, and continues to speed away A bike goes by, and Thornhill stops the car just in time to spare the cyclist from and accidentThe villains who have been following him in another car see the police and turn around, driving away from the sceneFunction/Theme: The kidnappers want George Kaplan to help them or to die/With us or against usExplanation: The kidnappers go to great lengths to get rid of "Kaplan" so it will look like an accident, but don't count on his tenacity to pull him through safelySTATION/COURTROOMThe car Thornhill was driving has been reported stolenThornhill calls his mother with the help of and officer and explains where he is, asking her and his lawyer to come the next morningThe medical examiner declares that Thornhill is intoxicated, which is obvious by his behavior and slurred speechThe next morning Thornhill's lawyer presents his story of kidnapping which the judge finds unreasonable, but the lawyer's faith in Thornhill and their seven year relationship allows for an investigation to take placeFunction/Theme: Shows how much trouble Thornhill is in/The truth is stranger than fictionExplanation: Thornhill has a difficult time convincing anyone that the story he's telling to explain last night is the truth, even with his lawyer vouching for himTOWNSEND ESTATE/LIBRARYCounty detectives and Mrs. Townsend" enters the library and makes up a story about Roger's evening with them the night before, and his drunken state, as Roger listens and becomes even more vexed at the situationThe detectives ask after "Mr. Thornhill and they spend their honeymoon as they spent their first night - on the trainFunction/Theme: To tie everything together/Love conquers all!Explanation: The movie ends with the happy couple traveling by train, which is what brought them togetherEND CREDITS.
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Acceptance Essays
