2022 movie #202. 1935. A man (Donat) accidentally involves himself with trying to stop spies from stealing gov't secrets. Good suspense with some humor, as when he's fleeing across the Scottish countryside handcuffed to a woman (Carroll). Early Hitchcock. ( )

Magical adventure novel

Far-fetched and with that 1930s sort of unreality that no modern film can get away with, The 39 Steps is enormously enjoyable, especially the scenes where Donat and Carroll are handcuffed together. For all the serious nature of the situation Donat finds himself in--an accused murderer on the run--with its brisk running time of just 87 minutes, it is played almost for laughs. Ashcroft is great as a woman who helps Donat on his journey to find the bad guy. ( )

A man goes on the run when a secret agent is murdered in his home.

A nice balance of humor and suspense. The plot's not exactly air tight, but the holes don't seem to matter.

Concept: B
Story: B
Characters: B
Dialog: A
Pacing: A
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: D

Enjoyment: B

GPA: 3.0/4 ( )

A classic British spy mystery, and one of Hitchcock's best, THE 39 STEPS is the story of an innocent man who struggles to prove his innocence. Robert Donat gets more than he bargained for when he brings home a mysterious woman (Lucie Mannheim) who confesses to be a British agent on the hot trail of a dangerous spy ring. The woman is killed in Donat's apartment and he immediately finds himself on the run, burdened with the charge for her murder and the dangerous knowledge of her mission. The film is distinguished by its pioneering use of contrapuntal sound effects, as well as the dynamism between Donat and his costar Madeleine Carroll.