It may not be real but I want it!
It belongs to Philip Vandamm, (James Mason) in NORTH BY NORTHWEST. (No doubt the product of his ill-gotten gains).
I hope it is on firm foundations, as it hangs over that cliff at the top of Mount Rushmore, but what a view.
The living room area is over concrete cantilevers , which were useful when Roger O.Thornhill was climbing up the beams to get into the house unnoticed.
The other side of the house.
Sadly, of course, this is Hollywood, the land of magic and make-believe, so there really wasn’t such a house , and if you don’t want to know how we were deceived, stop reading now.
First of all, a black cyclorama surrounded the sets for the illusion of night. The house is in fact a matte painting created by Matthew Yuricich.
A few sections of the exterior were built full scale.
Cary Grant
The website, jetsetmodern.com describes how one scene was achieved.
Cary Grant is filmed walking up a road.
The matte painting is photographed and then the two pieces of film are combined. This is 1950s CGI.
Cary Grant
The house and interiors was designed by Robert Boyle in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, famous architect of the time.
The interiors showed the best 1950s furniture .
Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint
Martin Landau, James Mason
Luxurious open plan, floor to ceiling windows.
Eva Marie Saint
Cary Grant
That great interior balcony.
That grip on Eve’s neck isn’t friendly. Love the stonework and the big clock.
The gun only fires blanks,Roger.
Fun post! If I could live in any house in movie history, this would be it.
We agree,Julia! I also love the country house in Bringing up Baby – the one owned by Katharine Hepburn’s aunt.
What a disappointment! I loved that house, the house of my dreams!
Sorry,Anne, I’m sad too !
I have to say I share your fondness for this house, even if it’s not real. The location and the look is incredibly stylish, and I temper my disappointment by acknowledging the wonderful artistry of the matte paintings – I love that stuff.
Maybe Frank Lloyd Wright wished he had cooperated with Hitchcock and designed it – he had been approached. I read that he probably wouldn’t have had the beams below the cantilevers – but Hitch needed them.