Widely, Hitchcock is known for having a lead male character whose ultimate goal is to help the woman and rescue her from whatever distress she is in. Like Scottie in Vertigo, North by Northwest’s Roger Thornhill is a typical Hitchcockian male. He pursues Eve Kendall because there is a weakness in her that he believes he can fill and fix. Before embarking on the plane to South Dakota, the professor tells Thornhill that Kendall was “probably forced to do whatever she did to protect herself” and that he has “put her in an extremely dangerous situation” (1:40:06-33). The camera then pans to Cary Grant’s decisive face staring across the plane as if he now knows what he must do: save her. To him, there is a danger when his assistance (or male assistance) is no longer needed. This is also demonstrated by Thornhill’s desire to take over the paternal role of the professor, another position where he would have power over Kendall and be seen as someone for her to rely on who could solve her problems. Additionally, if his role continues to shift, she will always come to him with varying issues. One does not address their father figure and their lover with the same tone or raise the same questions.

Prior to the knowledge that Kendall was working for the FBI and not just a woman using sex to get ahead, Thornhill was eager to criticize her and her choices. He could not help her, as she was already being “helped” by Vandamm. The idea of a damsel in distress is what entices him to pursue her even further and persuades him to get on the plane to South Dakota instead of demanding to return to New York. Hitchcock is consistent in presenting his male characters with savior complexes toward women, and Roger Thornhill is no exception.