Danielle De Colombie Tight and delicious. Everything matters and nothing matters. An amazing commercial eye without detracting from the poetry. Poetry? Yes poetry. Robert Donat was one of the best actors of his generation - I wonder why he's not better known. Maybe he will be rediscovered. The 39 Steps, The Winslow Boy, Goodbye Mr Chips just to name 3 of his spectacular performances. Madeleine Carroll is perfect as an early, classy and icy Hitchcock blonde. The coupling of Donat and Carroll has all the signature traits of the Master and it's downright irresistible. Not to be missed.

PimpinAinttEasy The 39 Steps is a great early Hitchcock pot-boiler. This is what every "masala film" should aspire to be.Every twist in the film is an event in itself. the plot isn't really that important but the ending is ingenious. The Mr.Memory character is a great creation.It is amazing how much Hitchcock packs into an 86 minute film. The melancholic housewife in the Scottish highlands who longs for the city life and her strict religious husband - what a strange choice of characters to make an appearance in an exciting film like this. I never saw that coming. They are a perfect foil for the gung-ho bar running couple who appear towards the end of the film. Both couples provide shelter to the man on the run, of course.The writing is unbelievably clever. Every scene is adorned with witty and tongue in cheek dialog. I guess The Third Man borrowed the bit with the man on the run entering a meeting and talking to an unsuspecting audience to escape the police from this film.The 39 Steps proudly wears its contrivances on its sleeve.The choices of camera angles at the beginning and ending of the film are very stylish.(8/10)

Chris Allen When watching a black and white film in the modern day it's easy to overlook subtle aspects which would've made it stand out for its time. "The 39 Steps" has all the hallmarks of a classic Hitchcock escapade with the addition of some of the most innovative cinematography ever. The smooth panning, cut-away shots, and smart camera angles are techniques which are revered even today; Hitchcock made the most of the sterile B&W format by prioritising cinematography to create a tense, gripping story. The main flaw with this adaptation is its divergence from the book - several significant points, such as the nature of the 39 steps and the inclusion of a female lead (Madeleine Carroll), were altered to make the film more exciting. If - like me - you haven't read the book, however, this isn't an impediment to the story at all. Surprisingly for an early film, the pace of the narrative is exactly right, never once moving too quickly (as many short 30s films have a tendency to do). Comic elements are blended seamlessly with tense sequences, emphasising Hanney's peril rather than undermining it. A strong sense of realism pervades the action, making the story even more beguiling. All the acting performances are sublime, but the real star of the film is the Scottish Highland backdrop, bleak and beautiful even in black and white. A sparse yet emotive score builds tension at key points; the dialogue is as sharp as in any Hitchcock thriller. The ultimate test of a classic film is if it can still be as entertaining as it was on its day of release, and "The 39 Steps" fulfils that category perfectly. It remains an excellent, amusing thriller which twists and turns right to the end, and will hopefully continue to delight audiences throughout the ages.

merrywater Hitchcock made this movie three times: the first was released in 1935 called "The 39 Steps", the second in 1942 called "Saboteur", and the third in 1959 named "North by Northwest".The basic ingredients are: (1) A lonely man wrongfully accused of something he didn't do. (2) His wanting to have himself in the clear. (3) His incapacity of turning his case over to justice. (4) His pursuit of the party who incriminated him. (5) His involvement in between with a blond girl that he can't trust. (6) His final encounter with his nemesis, preferably at a spectacular site."The 39 Steps" is truly a masterpiece, for it is still mesmerizes you in spite of being filmed 80 years ago! Which other movie that old does that? None whatsoever, I dare you. (The next likely candidate, "The Lady Vanishes" was only released three years later, and was directed by the Master of Suspense as well.)Now, "North by Northwest" would have been this masterpiece, had it not been preceded by "The 39 Steps". "Noth by Northwest" has some unforgettable moments as the pesticide aircraft chase, but the plot is anything but new."Saboteur" differs from the other two pictures in being excessively patriotic and antifascist, somewhat of war propaganda, shot during WWII as it was. It does have some exciting moments, but having seen the other two movies in the "trilogy", it just sticks out as the lesser attempt of them.