Review of The 39 Steps (1935) by Steve P — 01 Jul 2008
Jeepers, what a rumpus - and, really, more fun to sit through than humans are entitled to have. Based on a novel by John Buchan - that's not nearly as inherently lighthearted. Falsely accused of murder, and pursued by the law, baddies with missing digits, gyrocopters, uncooperative sheep, sex-deprived farmer's wives, and just about anything else they could possibly throw at the poor man - save 6 drooling paparazzi on a Vespa - Robert Donat leaps and bounds his way across the Scottish Highlands for 87 thrill-packed minutes, handcuffed to the maddeningly beautiful and plucky Madeline Carroll.
There's nothing going on here of any intellectual significance, whatsoever. It's just simply fun-on-a-half-shell of the champagne variety, filmed with more good humor than anyone else could have filmed it.
Like it's later, sister film, NORTH BY NORTHWEST - or their offspring: the early, Richard Maibaum-penned James Bond thrillers - it's a flat corker. Derek is right, below, though: there are some stunningly poor-quality copies out in circulation.
Beware.
This review of The 39 Steps (1935) was written by Steve P on 01 Jul 2008.
The 39 Steps has generally received very positive reviews.
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