Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest lands on HBO Max in July 2026.

North by Northwest, the espionage thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, lands on HBO Max on July 19, 2026. Released in France on October 21, 1959, this American cinema classic brings together Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason for a wrong-man chase that sweeps across the United States.

North by Northwest
Film | 1959
Available on HBO Max on July 19, 2026
Adventure, espionage, crime, thriller | Duration: 2h16
From Alfred Hitchcock | Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason
Original title: North by Northwest
Country: United States

In North by Northwest, Roger Thornhill, a New York advertising executive, is mistaken for an undercover agent named Kaplan. Hunted by a mysterious organization, he must also dodge the police, who believe he’s involved in a criminal case. His flight takes him from New York to the vast American landscapes, culminating in a confrontation that has become one of Hitchcock’s most iconic images in cinema.

Written by Ernest Lehman, the film distills several motifs tied to Alfred Hitchcock: the ordinary man wrongly accused, the manipulation of appearances, suspense rooted in the geography of the chase, and a fraught dynamic between danger, seduction and identity. The original title, North by Northwest, points to this arc of flight and confusion where every step brings Roger Thornhill closer to a truth larger than himself.

North by Northwest may appeal to viewers looking to revisit a classic thriller and espionage masterpiece, with a directing style built on tension, elegance, and spectacle. The film speaks less to those seeking a contemporary action narrative, its pacing and conventions rooted in late-1950s Hollywood cinema.

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Trailer for North by Northwest

The trailer for La Mort aux trousses echoes the film’s opening premise: a man wrongly accused, pursued by his enemies as well as the police.

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