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The Thirty Nine Steps [1959] DVD ~ Kenneth More  (4)  £9.99

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Amazon.co.uk Review
A high point of Hitchcock's pre-Hollywood career, 1935's The Thirty-Nine Steps is the first and best of three film versions of John Buchann's rather stiff novel. Robert Donat plays the rancher embroiled in a plot to steal British military secrets. He finds himself on the run; falsely accused of murder, while also pursuing the dastardly web of spies alluded to in the title. With a plot whose twists and turns match the hilly Scottish terrain in which much of the film is set, The Thirty-Nine Steps combines a breezy suavity with a palpable psychological tension. Hitchcock was already a master at conveying such tension through his cinematic methods, rather than relying just on situation or dialogue. Sometimes his ways of bringing the best out of his actors brought the worst out in himself. If the scene in which Donat is handcuffed to co-star Madeline Carroll has a certain edge, for instance, that's perhaps because the director mischievously cuffed them together in a rehearsal, then left them attached for a whole afternoon, pretending to have lost the key. The movie also introduces Hitchcock's favoured plot device, the "McGuffin" (here, the military secret), the unexplained device or "non-point" on which the movie turns. --David Stubbs

Amazon.co.uk Review
A high point of Hitchcock's pre-Hollywood career, 1935's The Thirty-Nine Steps is the first and best of three film versions of John Buchan's rather stiff novel. Robert Donat plays Richard Hannay, who becomes embroiled in a plot to steal military secrets. He finds himself on the run; falsely accused of murder, while also pursuing the dastardly web of spies alluded to in the title. With a plot whose twists and turns match the hilly Scottish terrain in which much of the film is set, The Thirty-Nine Steps combines a breezy suavity with a palpable psychological tension. Hitchcock was already a master at conveying such tension through his cinematic methods, rather than relying just on situation or dialogue. Sometimes his ways of bringing the best out of his actors brought the worst out in himself. If the scene in which Donat is handcuffed to co-star Madeline Carroll has a certain edge, for instance, that's perhaps because the director mischievously cuffed them together in a rehearsal, then left them attached for a whole afternoon, pretending to have lost the key. The movie also introduces Hitchcock's favoured plot device, the "McGuffin" (here, the military secret), the unexplained device or "non-point" on which the movie turns. --David Stubbs

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17 Reviews 5 star:  (13) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (3) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review (17 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   27 of 27 people found the following review helpful: Cinematic Bliss, 9 Jan 2002 By A Customer Hitchcock tore up the original Buchan plot and came up with a much better movie plot; which is fortunate because what he gave us was one of the greatest comedy-thrillers of all time; and possibly the best British movie ever (and I don't say that lightly.) The pace is taught and exciting, and the narrative structure is just delicious. The ridiculously debonaire Robert Donat has never been equalled in the much-played role of Richard Hannay - the classic Hitchcockian 'man on the run for a crime he didn't commit' - which the great director was, of course, to use over and again in later films; and Madeleine Carroll, his effortlessly gorgeous co-star, is proof positive that there was definitely no shortage of sex appeal in our grandparents' day. All this is brought to you on a fabulous print in this DVD version form Carlton - huge congratulations to them for putting in the effort on this special edition, and treating the film with the care it deserves - it looks and sounds fantastic: not bad for a 70 year old; and when the quality of the transfer is as good as this you realise how favourably these great classics compare with our modern efforts. Every serious movie buff should have this flick - and this has to be the best-looking version of the film around. If it's cold and wet outside, get the kettle on, find your comfiest armchair and slap this into the DVD player. You'll never look back.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: The British classic that really put Hitchcock on the map, 7 May 2006 By  Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews       1935's The 39 Steps is the film that really put Alfred Hitchcock on the map as a world-class movie director. With its mixture of classic Hitchcockian wit, dark (and light) humor, and suspense, it brought to the fore the man's genius and set the stage for many a classic thriller to come. Robert Donat is excellent in the role of Richard Hannay, a young Canadian who finds himself in between a rock and a hard place after his encounter with a young female spy in London, while Madeleine Carroll brings beauty, grace, and a sense of romance to Hannay's increasingly harrowing quest to not only prove himself innocent of murder but to safeguard the defense of Great Britain from foreign agents. All he has to go on are a cryptic reference to something called "the 39 steps," a name of a town in Scotland, and a warning to stay away from any man missing the upper digit on his right pinkie finger. When the mysterious Annabella Smith (Lucie Mannheim) invites herself home with him and tells him her fantastic story of intrigue and danger, Hannay doesn't quite believe her - until, that is, she turns up in the night with a knife in her back. Knowing that the killers are waiting for him outside (and also knowing how likely the police would be to find him guilty of the murder up in his flat), he quickly adopts the classic mantle of the innocent man on the run, desperate to ultimately prove his innocence. The journey he makes from London to a little town in Scotland is not an easy one, as Hannay finds himself running from the bad guys who want to kill him as well as the cops pursuing him for murder. Deceit and double-crossing as well as assistance from unexpected quarters keep things very interesting - particularly after he finds himself on the run yet again (after one of several narrow escapes), now handcuffed to the lovely and initially unsympathetic Pamela (Madeleine Carroll). The romantic element thus introduced into the film deviates from the original novel on which the screenplay was based, but it clearly strengthens the film, setting the stage for a most climactic conclusion. One of Hitchcock's best-known British films, The 39 Steps doesn't prove as gripping or dramatic as many of the master's later movies, but the exquisite dialogue and direction do make for some memorable moments (none more so than Hannay's improvised speech at a political meeting, which definitely qualifies as a classic in my book), and the twists and turns along the way continuously ratchet up the suspense, with everything working in concert toward a finish that does not disappoint.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)   10 of 10 people found the following review helpful: Hitchcocks British Masterpiece, 18 May 2004 By  J. Skade "joeskade" (London, England) - See all my reviews       This film is so good, so much a part of my life, that it is difficult to know where to start. It has the pace, the wit and the suspense that characterise the best of Hitchcock. It also has Hitchcocks's best lead actor in the truly marvellous Robert Donat. His lightness of touch, flair for comedy and luxurious voice are a real treat. And Madeleine Carroll is no slouch and the interplay between them is the film's real heart. This is (surprisingly, given its age) the sexiest film Hitchcock ever made. Buy it and watch it and then watch it again. The documentary on Hitchcock's early movies is delightful and the dvd makes the film look great. If the house was on fire and I had to rescue one dvd this could very easily be the one.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) › See all 17 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews