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The 39 Steps
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Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786303346366
Format: Black & White, NTSC
ISBN: 6303346367
Label: Homevision
Languages: English (Original Language), Analog
Manufacturer: Homevision
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Homevision
Release Date: February 19, 2002
Running Time: 87 minutes
Studio: Homevision
Theatrical Release Date: August 01, 1935
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Editorial Review:
Hitchcock's first great romantic thriller is a prime example of the MacGuffin principle in action. Robert Donat is Richard Hannay, an affable Canadian tourist in London who becomes embroiled in a deadly conspiracy when a mysterious spy winds up murdered in Hannay's rented flat--and both the police and a secret organization wind up hot on his trail. With only a seemingly meaningless phrase ("the 39 steps"), a small Scottish town circled on a map, and a criminal mastermind identified by a missing finger as clues, quick-witted Hannay eludes police and spies alike as he works his way across the countryside to reveal the mystery and clear his name. At one point he finds himself making his escape manacled to blonde beauty Pamela (Madeleine Carroll), whose initial antagonism is smoothed by Hannay's charm and the sheer rush of her thrilling chase. It's classic Hitchcock all the way, a seemingly effortless balance of romance and adventure set against a picturesque landscape populated by eccentrics and social-register smoothies, none of whom is what he or she appears to be. Hitchcock would play similar games of innocents plunged into deadly conspiracies, most delightfully in North by Northwest, but in this breezy 1935 classic, Hitch proves that, as in any quest, the object of the search isn't nearly as satisfying as the journey. --Sean Axmaker
Widely regarded as Alfred Hitchcock's (North by Northwest, Psycho) first masterpiece, this sophisticated film is also his first man-on-the-run thriller. Breathtaking action and mischievous humor mark the story of an innocent man pursued by the police and murderous spies.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The 86 Minutes
I was really looking forward to this movie since this Criterion dvd is rather costly and a rerelease with a flawless screening seemed like the perfect way to be introduced to this so-called Hitchcock classic. It's a real shame the film ends up being so damn twee.
The main problem is that the film is just too quaint. None of the bad guys feel like a real threat and are frequently fooled by Hanney's simple tricks, the stakes aren't exactly high and the MacGuffin is surely Hitchcock's lamest. ... Read More
Rating:  - Hitchcock Genius, Criterion Perfection
A glittering restoration of a classic masterpiece, it belongs on the shelf of any Hitchcock enthusiast, beside the equally pristine Criterion "The Lady Vanishes." One can only hope for future titles, such as "The Lodger" and "Blackmail," to make it into these capable technicians' hands. The Master would have been pleased.
Rating:  - Hitchcock at his finest
This is one of my favorite old films. The story is still relevant, absent cell phones, computers and GPS electronics. I also think the acting is good, especially that of Madeleine Carrol. I have read reviews critical of Robert Donat in this part, but I think he's great. The real star is Alfred Hitchcock. His directing and angles of shots is superb. The DVD copy is good and I'll watch it often.
Rating: - Hitchcock's Version - No Slavish Adaptation by the Master
Alfred Hitchcock's movie version of John Buchan's "39 Steps" is a good example of how a movie director can take as his source material a novel and radically alter it to make it into a completely different kettle of fish. He added two important female characters, love interest, comic touches, a good musical score, and a denouement that is better than his source material. What do you do if you are Richard Hannay, and you bring a woman home to your apartment, and she turns out to be spy who ends up with a ... Read More
Rating: - It's All in the Lighting
This film is one of my favorites, to my mind ranking just below "Vertigo" (which I consider Hitchcock's masterpiece) and above "North By Northwest", which although spellbinding at times doesn't sustain the unbroken suspense of this 1935 work. The faces of both the major and minor characters, from the cleaning woman who discovers a body in Richard Hannay's flat to the wary farmer and his pitying wife to the innocent, handcuffed blonde, are all perfect. But what makes this film soar is the impeccable use of ... Read More
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