The 39 Steps

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The 39 Steps (1935): 4/5

I thought this was a very good thriller with some great suspense moments from Hitchcock (like the scenes on the train that reminded me of North By Northwest for some reason) and some good comic scenes too. Very interesting seeing one of Hitchcock's early works.
I know it was 1930's so I dont know if it was the quality of sound or manner of speech that bothered me but it was sometimes hard to understand what was being said. The sound was pretty quiet.
Isn't Hannay supposed to be from Canada? He sounded very English to me.
 
The 39 Steps (1935) is a very good thriller with some fine acting, the copy I have the sound is passable considering the age of the film.
I am not sure but from the book Richard Hannay may have
been South African?
 
I always thought that Hannay was supposed to be English. But had recently returned from having worked for 10 years as a mine engineer i South Africa?
 
A great thriller- I love the bit where the crofter ,John Laurie, says ro his wife in that unmistakeable brogue "Y'ouve been mekkin love behind mah back" or someting similar.
 
I taught that the acting was a little hammy especially in the opening scenes in the apartment where the murder took place.
Sound quality was poor but we were only 5 years into talkies 1n 1935. Hitchcocks SFX were pretty good for the era, but this is by no means a classic.
Robert Donat was a very good actor who turned down a number of good roles in the following 10 years.
 
I didnt know Hannay was a Scot. I think one controversial thing was the two strangers (Hannay and the other woman) sharing a room together (shocking in 1935) :D
But that part is interesting because it became normal spy movie lore, with the false names and stuff. :)
 
I think both the later versions of 'The Thirty Nine Steps' were far better than the original. I think most film buRAB wear rose tinted glasses when they view these nostalgic early films. Most were pretty dreadful, but great for that particular era, bearing in mind the technolgy available.
 
It doesn't always follow that a film is bad because it's old, thats a blinkered view IMO :)
I havent seen the later 39 Steps movies (both made without Hitch's participation), maybe they are better though.
 
I've seen, and like, all three. But in my opinion Hitch's is the best, it has the most charm and is the most engaging for me. I found the one from the 50's a little forced and the leaRAB slightly irritating and the one from the seventies a bit too cheesy. Though apparently the one from the seventies (Robert Powell starred) is the most faithful to the book.

For me it goes, Robert Donat's, Robert Powell's and then Kenneth Moore's. But like I said, all of them are good.

All my opinion obviously lol.
 
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