North by Northwest

Even if you accept the belief that the high Trendex means a rising sales curve--

- Mr. Thornhill. - Good night.

- Say hello to the missus. - We're not talking.

My recommendation is still the same.

Spread the good word in as many small-time segments as we can.

Let the opposition have their high ratings while we cry all the way to the bank.

Uh, why don't we colonize at the Colony next week?

Let me hear from you, Sam. Uh, happy thoughts, et cetera.

You better walk me to the Plaza.

- I didn't put a coat on. - Use your blood sugar, child. Come on.

- Next? - Gretchen Sabinson.

Oh, yes. Send her a box of candy from Blum's, $10. You know the kind.

Each piece wrapped in gold paper. She'll like that.

She'll think she's eating money.

Just say to her: "Darling, I count the days, the hours--"

- You sent that one last time. - I did?

Well, put: "Something for your sweet tooth, baby,

and all your other sweet parts."

- I know. - Could we take a cab, Mr. Thornhill?

- For two blocks? - You're late and I'm tired.

That's your trouble, Maggie, you don't eat properly.

All right. Here. Taxi.

I have a very sick woman here. You don't mind, do you?

- Well, no. - Thank you very much.

Perfectly all right.

First stop, the Plaza. Don't throw the flag.

Poor man.

Oh, come, come, come. I made him a happy man.

- I made him feel like a good Samaritan. - He knew you were lying.

Ah, in the world of advertising, there's no such thing as a lie.

There's only the expedient exaggeration. You ought to know that.

- Say, do I look heavyish to you? - What?

I feel heavyish.

Put a note on my desk in the morning: "Think thin."

"Think thin."

- Better make it the 59th Street entrance. - Okay.

Oh. Soon as you get back, call my mother.

Remind her we've got those theater tickets for tonight.

Dinner at 21, 7:00.

I'll have had two martinis at the Oak Bar, so she needn't bother to sniff my breath.

- She doesn't do that. - Sure she does. Like a bloodhound.

Bigelow at 10:30 is your first tomorrow, the Skin Glow rehearsal at noon,

then lunch with Falcon and his wife.

- Oh, yeah. Where was that? - Larry and Arnold's, 1:00.

- Oh. - Will you check in later?

Absolutely not.

Here, driver, take this lady back where she belongs.

- Right. - That ought to cover it.

- Don't forget, call my mother right away. - I won't.

- Good night, Mr. Thornhill. - Good night, sweetie.

Oh, wait, Maggie. You can't call her. She's at Mrs.--

- Good evening. - Good evening.

I'm looking for Mr. Weltner and two other gentlemen.

Yes, sir. Right this way.

- Herman. - Roger.

- I'm a little late. - Roger Thornhill.

- Fanning Nelson. - How do you do?

- How do you do? - Larry Wade.

- We got a little head start here. - Oh, that won't last long.

I was telling Larry and Fanning you may be slow on starting,

but there's nobody faster.

What's the matter? You've got the fidgets.

I just did something stupid.

I told my secretary to call Mother. I realized she won't be able to reach her.

Why not?

She's playing bridge at one of her cronies'.

- Your secretary? - No. My mother.

One of those new apartments. Wet paint and no telephone yet.

- George Kaplan. - Perhaps if I send her a telegram.

- Mr. George Kaplan? - Boy.

- Kaplan. - I've got to get off a wire immediately.

Could you send it for me if I write it out for you?

Oh, I'm not permitted to do that, sir, but if you'll follow me.

- Oh. Will you excuse me, gentlemen? - Go right ahead.

- Right through there, sir. - Yeah, thanks.

Thank you, sir.

Wait, what's that supposed to be?

The car's waiting outside. You will walk between us saying nothing.

- What are you talking about? - Let's go.

Let's go where? Who--? Who are you?

Mere errand boys carrying concealed weapons.

His is pointed at your heart. So, please, no errors of judgment, I beg of you.

What is this, a joke or something?

- Yes, a joke. We will laugh in the car. - Come.

But this is ridiculous.

Don't tell me where we're going, surprise me.

You know, I left some friends back there in the Oak Bar.

They're going to think I'm awfully rude.

I mean, uh, couldn't we stop off at a drugstore for a moment

so that I could explain I'm being, uh, kidnapped?

Well, that is what's happening, isn't it?

Locked.

Who's Townsend?

Really?

Interesting.

- Where is he? - Upstairs, dressing.

- Tell him I'm here. - The dinner guests are expected.

Never mind that. Say to him: "Kaplan."

By the way, what are we having for dessert?

- Is anyone in the library? - No.

This way.

You will wait here.

Well, don't hurry. I'll catch up on my reading.

Good evening.

Not what I expected. A little taller.

A little more polished than the others.

Oh, I'm so glad you're pleased, Mr. Townsend.

But I'm afraid just as obvious.

What the devil is all this about? Why was I brought here?

Games? Must we?

Not that I mind a case of abduction,

but I have tickets for the theater this evening.

To a show I was looking forward to. And I get unreasonable about things like that.

With such expert play-acting, you make this very room a theater.

Oh, Leonard, have you met our distinguished guest?

He's a well-tailored one, isn't he?

My secretary is a great admirer of your methods, Mr. Kaplan.

- Elusiveness, however misguided-- - Wait a minute. Wait, wait.

- Did you call me "Kaplan"? - I know you're a man of many names,

but I'm perfectly willing to accept your current choice.

Current choice?

My name is Thornhill. Roger Thornhill. It's never been anything else.

Of course.

Your friends picked up the wrong package when they bundled me out here in the car.

Do sit down, Mr. Kaplan.

I told you, I'm not Kaplan, whoever he is.

- - I'm--

- Excuse me. - Yes?

The guests are here, dear.

Look after them. I'll be with you in a few minutes.

Now, shall we get down to business?

I'm all for that.

Simply, I'd like you to tell me how much you know of our arrangements,

and how you've come by this information.

- I don't expect to get this for nothing. - Of course not.

Don't misunderstand, I don't expect you to fall in with this suggestion,

but the least I can do is afford you the opportunity of surviving the evening.

What the devil is that supposed to mean?

Why don't you surprise me, Mr. Kaplan, and say yes?

- I've already told you-- - We know where you're headed for.

I know where I'm headed.

I'm headed for the Winter Garden Theater in New York,

and I think I'd better get going.

Townsend, you're making a serious mistake.

This is not going to lead to a very happy conclusion, Mr. Kaplan.

- I'm not Kaplan. - I do wish you'd reconsider.

We also know your contact in Pittsburgh since Jason committed suicide.

What contact? I've never even been in Pittsburgh.

On June the 16th, you checked into the Sherwyn Hotel in Pittsburgh

as Mr. George Kaplan of Berkeley, California.

A week later, you registered at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel

as Mr. George Kaplan of Pittsburgh.

On August 11th, you stayed at the Statler in Boston.

August the 29th, George Kaplan of Boston registered at the Whittier in Detroit.

At present, you are registered in room 796

at the Plaza Hotel in New York as Mr. George Kaplan of Detroit.

- Really? - In two days,

you are due at the Ambassador East in Chicago.

And then at the Sheraton-Johnson Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota.

- Not me. - There's very little sense

in maintaining that you're deceiving us any more than we're deceiving you.

I don't suppose it would do any good to show you ID cards,

- a driver's license, things like that? - They provide you with such good ones.

It's getting late. I have guests.

Do you intend to cooperate with us? I'd like a simple yes or no.

A simple no.

For the simple reason I simply don't know what you're talking about.

Give Mr. Kaplan a drink, Leonard.

A pleasant journey, sir.

Scotch? Rye?

- Bourbon? Vodka? - Nothing.

I'll take a quick ride back to town.

Oh, that has been arranged.

But first, a libation.

Bourbon.

You drink it. I've had enough stimulation for one day.

It'll be easier if you take this yourself.

Otherwise, it'll be necessary for us to insist.

Cheers.

Don't worry about me, fellas. I'll take the bus.

Thanks for the lift, fellas.

I want this man examined for driving while intoxicated.

- Really? - Yeah.

You see, they tried to kill me. He won't listen to me.

In a big house, they tried to kill me.

- All right, let's just go inside. - I don't wanna go inside.

- Somebody call the police. - Come on. Come on now.

Oh. Okay.

Sit down.

I don't wanna sit.

Perfectly all right. See?

We'll get them. We'll throw the book at them. Assault and kidnapping.

Assault with a gun, and a bourbon, and a sports car. We'll get them.

You'll be all right after a good night's sleep.

We got a nice cell all made up.

- I don't want a cell. I want a policeman. - The car was just reported stolen.

- Uh-huh. - A Mrs. Babson up on Twining Road.