Review of The 39 Steps (1935) by Kato H — 27 Dec 2007
If not my favourite film of all time, then very close to it.
Robert Donat is attractive as Richard Hannay, a man in the wrong place at the wrong time. After a mysterious woman he befriends is murdered in his flat, Hannay is pursued by both police and a gang of international spies. Luckily for Hannay, he has sufficient charm and intelligence to outwit his pursuers in one tight spot after another.
Although some of the film's devices are by now cinema cliches, The 39 Steps still gives satisfaction over 70 years later, without hi-tech special effects or elaborate fight scenes. Clever dialogue and excellent character performances continue to set it apart from remakes and imitations.
This review of The 39 Steps (1935) was written by Kato H on 27 Dec 2007.
The 39 Steps has generally received very positive reviews.
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