FILMING THE 20th CENTURY LIMITED

摘要

For most rail enthusiasts, the best part of Alfred Hitchcock's suspense thriller "North by Northwest," starring Gary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, are the scenes featuring New York Centrals 20th Century Limited. While Hitchcock was a stickler for continuity and detail, we really never see the interior of the train and only for a few brief moments do we view the exterior in a couple of sunset shots, yet through it all we still get a flavor of what it was like to ride the world's most famous train. Hitchcock liked trains; they show up in several of his movies, as they often provided a convenient setting for his plots. As "North by Northwest" was one long, elaborate chase that also included cars, a bus, and a plane, the train was the perfect vehicle.