MovieChat Forums > North by Northwest (1959) Discussion > So why did the bad guys think that Thorn...

So why did the bad guys think that Thornhill was Kaplan, in the first place?

posted 4 years ago by alv790 (87)
6 replies | jump to latest

I think it's never addressed, but I wonder why Vandamm's henchmen mistook Thornhill for the US agent the were seeking.

[–] eelb53 (36) 4 years ago

The CIA created the non-existent Kaplan to divert Van Damm. Along with that, they supplied detailed information about his life, such as the hotel he stayed in. It is reasonable to believe they also led the henchmen to think he frequented The Oak Room at certain times. The henchmen went into The Oak Room and had "George Kaplan" paged over the PA system, to see if anyone responded. At the same time, Thornhill needs to send a message to his secretary. He brings a waiter to his table. The waiter informs Thornhill, he must go with him to the office to send the message. Thornhill starts walking from his table, at the same time Kaplan is being paged. The henchmen assume Thornhill is Kaplan.

[–] kwestmo (4385) 4 years ago

You are 100% correct. But after reading the process, I realize the bad guys were sloppy. A lot of margin for error existed in their "plan" and they were very wrong. OTOH, this was Hitchcock's classic mistaken identity plot device.

My fave Hitchcock film, so it's all good.

[–] alv790 (87) 4 years ago

Ah, OK, thanks, I had missed that.

[–] ecarle (14979) 4 years ago

I might add that the screenwriter of North by Northwest -- Ernest Lehman -- once told an interviewer that he felt this "moment of mistaken identity" wasn't quite sold well enough . The guy saying "George Kaplan" in the background is fairly quiet, some folks may not quite get it.

I think Lehman was wrong. A lot of people DID get it, but it was very sophisticated. There was no close-up on the guy saying "George Kaplan, George Kaplan" and then a cut to Grant saying "I have to get up and call mother." Its all very quiet and quick and...indeed..probably the greatest "mistaken identity moment" in all of Hitchcock.

That said, the OP here proves that Lehman was right, too.

[–] agentalbert (3083) 3 months ago

I have to say I agree with Lehman. I watched this movie for the first time, and at the end I came here still wondering - why in the hell were the henchmen so certain Thornhill was their man Kaplan in the first place?

Thanks for the explanation.

[–] tsrts (396) 3 months ago

Yes, that is a easy detail to miss at the films beginning, but it does get the point across about how he got mistaken.