THE THIRY-NINE STEPS (1935) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Alfred Hitchcock Writers: Charles Bennet and Ian Hay (based on the novel by John Buchan) Starring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carol, Godfrey Tearle, Lucie Mannheim, Peggy Ashcroft, John Laurie, Helen Haye, Frank Cellier, Wylie Watson, Gus MacNaughton, Jerry Verno, Peggy Simpson
What makes Alfred Hitchcock so great? Why is a director who made almost nothing but suspense films considered to be one of the best if not the best director of all time? To me, the man was great because in almost all of his films, he was able to tackle the individual subjects in an almost flawless manner. With each of his films, he breathed fresh life and individual nuances into them, creating memorable sequences and satisfying wholes. He can tackle interesting topics like in "Notorious," create a ton of depth you wouldn't see in other suspense thrillers like in "Vertigo," and even make simple films that just stick in your mind as classics. "The Thirty-Nine Steps," one of his best films, belongs in the latter.
"The Thirty-Nine Steps" deals with a much-used subject in his films: an innocent man trying to prove his, well, innocence. Richard Hannay (Robert Donat), a Canadian visiting England, meets a woman named Annabella (Lucie Mannheim) in a hall one night, and takes her home after a mass exodus from the place due to some gunshots. There, she tells him that she was being followed by two secret agents looking to kill her over a formula, but Richard does not believe her. I mean, why should he? But that night, she stumbles into his bedroom with a knife lodged in her back.
Richard was told by her to go to a place in Scotland to give the formula to a Professor (Godfrey Tearle) there, but has already been accused of the murder before the morning. He begins running around the UK, trying to stay away from the police and the secret agents, and eventually meets up with a woman, Pamela (Madeleine Carol), who he soon finds himself handcuffed to, setting the standard for future two-people-handcuffed-together movies. And soon they have to work together to prove his innocence and show who the real bad guy is.
It sounds like a typical chase movie, and it originally was intended to be that way. But Hitchcock, with brilliant direction, turns it into a classic. The screenplay is filled to the brim with humor, supplying the actors with great dialogue, and even some great zingers here and there (example: "Are you married?" "Yes, but don't rub it in."). Every scene is handled for the highest reaction from the audience, and filled with originality. In one clever scene, Richard tries to coax a milkman to give him his outfit so he can hide from the two killer secret agents, but since he doesn't believe him, he makes up some story about a jealous lover, and the guy gives in.
The film moves at a fast pace, mostly being filled with sequences which tie into the next. One of the most brilliant tie-ins in cinema history is in here, as the maid of the hotel finds the body of Annabella, and her scream dissolves into the hissing of a train whistle. There are some chase sequences here and there, but they're never boring, and never cliched. Even the scene where Richard and Pamela run handcuffed together is handled nicely.
And, of course, there's a great final shot. Among other things, Hitchcock is a master of creating memorable final shots, like the ones in "Notorious" and "Vertigo," which add a new surprise to the film, and even some depth. Although not being a surprise, it is very good, and set the standard for later Hitchcock films.
And the acting is great. Robert Donat is amazing in the lead, adding a lot of humor, and delivering his lines wonderfully. But most importantly, he creates a character who is sympathetic, which is one of the best things about Hitchcock films: characters we care about. Madeliene Carol, who joins up in the film late on, has great chemitry with Donat, and creates a woman who isn't very weak, but then again, not too strong either.
But why is this film one of his best? Well, "The Thirty-Nine Steps" is one of the ultimate examples of what's so great about Hitchcock. A great story, interesting and likable characters, lots of great suspense, memorable sequences, great twits, cool camera tricks, attractive stars, a satisfying ending, and a great script are just some of the many things that are great about this movie. In fact, "The Thirty-Nine Steps" is pretty much the epitome about what's so amazing about Alfred Hitchcock.
Although being a hard film to find in your video store, it is more than well worth the viewing. Of all the cheap thrillers we get today, with twists that are moronic and forced, it's almost cleansing to see a film like this which doesn't insult your intelligence, and leaves you with a grin on your face. And that's what's so timeless about the films of Aldred Hitchcock.
MY RATING (out of 4): ****
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