The reviews are consistently positive, with praise clustering around Hitchcock’s control of suspense, the wit of the chase and Cary Grant’s ease with both comedy and danger. Critics repeatedly single out the set pieces, particularly the crop-dusting pursuit, for their ingenuity and use of locations. The improbable spy story is largely accepted as part of the pleasure: Hitchcock’s lightness of touch keeps the action entertaining without asking that it be taken too seriously.
The differences concern how critics read that extravagance rather than whether they recommend the film. The New Yorker describes a bloated, colourful spectacle, but also sees Hitchcock deliberately exaggerating his familiar methods into self-parody, with the pursuits among its chief pleasures. Elsewhere, the emphasis falls on confident storytelling and sleek entertainment. Reservations are limited, and even the more qualified responses admire the humour, suspense and Grant’s performance.