North by Northwest was Hitch's fiftieth flick, but his first and only with MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) Studios, one of the original major Hollywood studios. The film was made toward the end of the studio's golden era, during which MGM scooped up a Best Picture nomination for twenty straight years. In its heyday, the studio was unrivaled for its wildly successful hits and its ability to attract movie stars—"More stars than there are in the heavens," they boasted.

And Alfred Hitchcock was a star.

North by Northwest's production was smooth sailing. But there were still a few hitches, if you'll pardon the pun.

Or, uh, even if you won't.

Eva Marie, Anyone?

First, Hitchcock had to insist on his choice of leading lady. He was sure he wanted the relative newcomer Eva Marie Saint to play Eve—so sure that he held out against the studio's demands that North by Northwest's heroine be played by Cyd Charisse. Charisse was under contract with MGM but "left Hitchcock cold" (source). Hitch had a thing for "icy blondes" and was sure that Saint could have that combination of cool glamour and charm that he knew the role required.

He won that argument with MGM.

Epically Long

Hitch still had to clear one more hurdle before the film's release, and this had to do with its length. Clocking in at two hours and sixteen minutes, the fast-paced North by Northwest is, we'll admit, slow to end. Too slow, the studio execs thought, and they pressured Hitchcock to shorten a key scene in the film before its release. But here again he didn't budge, even when the studio begged and "pleaded" (source).

According to NXNW screenwriter Ernest Lehman, the Master of Suspense knew that his contract guaranteed him the final say, and so he prevailed again. The movie remained epic, released at a full 136 minutes.