Where was the North by Northwest movie credits skyscraper?
Trying to put together an article on North by Northwest, and I'm wondering if you can help me locate the building from the opening credits of North by Northwest:
http://www.3rdrate.com/003.jpg A lot of people seem to think it's 650 Madison Ave, the building Cary Grant walks out of when we first meet him. At first this seems correct, but if you watch the movie, traffic is moving in both directions, meaning it has to be Park. Any thoughts? |
Not sure, but I like the facade!
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That's supposed to be the United Nations Building, but I've never looked into the case.
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It might have supposed to have been the UN HQ, but the real UN HQ has a different facade.
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I never thought it meant to represent a specific building.
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Right, but there's an actual building shown as the Saul Bass credits go away.
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Here is the youtube video of the actual opening credits of North by Northwest.
That is some great paleo-urbanism at the end there, also notice the cameo of Alfred Hitchcock missing the bus at the very end. |
I can't sleep, so naturally I put in the DVD and listened to some commentary. According to screenwriter Ernest Lehman, the credits were shot on Madison Ave. The address on the building is 650 which would be CIT Financial, 650 Madison Ave, 9 stories built in 1957. Refurbished in 1987 with a 19 story addition and sadly replacing those great windows.
650 database link edit: I don't think it is supposed to be the UN building either. In the opening scene, Cary Grant leaves his office building with his secretary and together they take a cab to the Plaza Hotel. Grant thinks it silly to take a cab two blocks, 650 is about two blocks away from the Plaza Hotel. Its the "real" George Kaplan that works at the UN, Roger Thornhill has nothing to do with the UN. This movie seems geographically accurate. Much more so than modern movies. I saw the new Bourne movie and the shots of Chicago were not Chicago. |
im guessing new york city
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North by Northwest titles - skyscraper
I think this is the Seagram building at 375 Park Avenue, NYC.
This building by Philip Johnston and Mies van dear Rohe would just have been built before the film was released. Park Avenue has two way traffic and the windows are of the correct design. |
It's the United Nations Secretariat Building facade in the title sequence. It looks like they shot at a different building for the street level scene.
Saul Bass designed title sequence: http://annyas.com/screenshots/images...equence-16.jpg http://annyas.com/screenshots/update...itle-sequence/ United Nations Secretariat building, facade detail: http://www.emporis.com/images/show/3...ade-detail.jpg http://www.emporis.com/ photographer: Mathew Shaffer Seagram building facade detail: https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8307/7...350ca72f_b.jpg https://www.flickr.com/photos/doctorcasino/7896047262 |
I don't think it is the United Nations Secretariat Building since that one has an automobile traffic turnaround driveway in front of it, not a linear street as shown in the reflections of the building in the title sequence.
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It's 430 Park Avenue.
https://42floors.com/images/H2593531...aab94cdf30b4ef http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoZ9XjML8u...Park%2B001.jpg http://archoffilm.blogspot.com/2015/03/ Although, its current facade is a lot brighter after some renovations. https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3875/1...3c529c30_b.jpg 430 Park Avenue - IMG_5350.jpg by Jeff Winick, on Flickr |
animatedmartian, thank you for clarifying and finding that link!
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