North by Northwest

North by Northwest is very good at editing through out the film, perhaps the most obvious editing is when the audience is able to look through Peter Thornhill's point of view on things. The most intense scenes in the film are the ones with the editing in them, one of the most intense scenes is when Peter has just climbed a wall to view what is happening in the house which is owned by the men who are trying to kill him, also in the house is the woman he loves who is also an under cover agent, this is the most intense as Peter is balancing on a sort of tiny cliff edge while looking into the house to see what is going on, the editing comes into play when you can see every ones point of view on the situation first of all you see the situation through Peter's point of view this is the most awkward as you can see what is going on in the house but can't hear, it becomes clear when the film switches camera into the house and the characters are looking at each other which shows the window in the background where Peter is looking through, at this stage you can now hear what is going on, the two men are talking about when Eve the under cover agent shot Peter but with blanks as a coverup, this is what is making the scene intense as peter is still out side looking on and Eve is up stairs and has no idea that they have found out about the fake shooting.

Another very good editing scene is at the end when Peter and Eve are trying to escape the armed men and climb down Mount Rushmore, but Eve slips and Peter is pushed further down the mountain and Eve is hanging off of the edge holding Peter's hand whilst peter is holding on to the cliff by one hand, Peter then calls out to one of the armed men to help them but he stands on Peter's hand instead, all of a sudden the armed man gets shot by the police and he falls over the cliff. This is great editing for the time as we know that they werent actually hanging off the edge of Mount Rushmore and they did'nt actually throw an actor off the edge either, this is only achievable by editing.

The very last clip of the film is also the last piece of editing as Peter pulls Eve up to safety on Mount Rushmore but then the camera switches to on a train where Peter is helping Eve up onto the bunk who is now the new Mrs.Thornhill.

I enjoyed this film as it had twists and turns through out and the editing was done really well, this is perhaps the reason why is was nominated for three Academy Awards for Film Editing.