The 39 Steps
Composite Score: 84.97
Starring: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, John Laurie, Helen Haye, Frank Cellier, and Wylie Watson
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Writers: Charles Bennett and Ian Hay
Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
MPAA Rating: Approved
Box Office: $51,711 worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
The 39 Steps is Alfred Hitchcock’s film loosely adapted from John Buchan’s novel of the same name, following a Canadian visitor to London who gets caught up in a plot to turn state secrets over to a foreign agency. The film stars Robert Donat in the leading role of Richard Hannay, joined by Madeleine Carroll as Pamela, the beautiful traveler who refuses to believe Hannay’s story, Lucie Mannheim as the mysterious freelance agent Miss Annabella Smith, Godfrey Tearle as the two-faced Professor Jordan, and Wylie Watson as the brilliant entertainer known as Mr. Memory. The film is considered a classic among espionage thrillers, and it earns that recognition with a well-paced story, an enthralling lead, solid supporting cast, and just enough humor to remain self-aware.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
The 39 Steps errs primarily in its failure to quite match its successors’ levels of action, thrills, twists, and levity. Does it make the occasional joke? Absolutely, but most of the levity draws on its romantic comedy subplot that feels a bit forced to improve marketing rather than on the quick jokes from the film’s promising opening sequence. Is there a level of suspense? Sure, but it’s not nearly so heart-pounding as later espionage thrillers like Bond or Mission Impossible, or even The Manchurian Candidate or Hitchcock’s own North by Northwest. Does the plot twist and thicken? Barely, if we’re being honest, and then not nearly in so surprising of ways as films like Eagle Eye or Vantage Point (both of which are nowhere near as high quality as this film, I should add). At this point, I think it goes without saying that action sequences have improved drastically since the 1930s without my having to cite specific examples, but for a film that features a few decently drawn-out chase sequences, it ends up mildly disappointing when measured against any sort of post-1960s standard.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
While the individual parts of The 39 Steps might fall short of its more recent successors, the whole of the film still works quite charmingly thanks to its winning formula (though still in its infancy) and Donat’s energy as the leading man. Mixing wit with suspense and espionage has always been a winning formula when done in the proper amount, and Hitchcock’s 1935 hit does just that. The moments of levity serve to cut through the tension just enough to keep the film from feeling too self-important, while the mystery about who the 39 Steps actually are serves as enough of an unknown to keep the audience hooked with the help of Donat’s charismatic leading performance as Hannay. He helps deliver the film’s action and wit and romance equally well in a manner reminiscent of a more classic Tom Hiddleston – feeling just out of place enough to stand out in any crowd. It keeps the film fun and light and easily rewatchable.
Hitchcock manages to pull off a winning formula for early greatness in The 39 Steps, utilizing a relatively innovative (for the period) style that blends lightness with suspense and a charismatic leading man tying it all together to cement the film’s place in history. It might not quite match up with modern espionage thrillers that often do much of what it does better, but respect is owed to this classic that worked well with the medium it was given. It is currently available to stream via Max or the Criterion Channel for anyone looking for a place to watch it.
