Review of The Lady Vanishes (1938) by Miguel R — 07 Jun 2015

Right now, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese are the masters of cinema. Back in the day, I'd say Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock were the masters of cinema. Admittedly, I've not seen any of Hitchcock's films, which is shameful as I am a lover of cinema. Well, now that's been remedied; I saw one. "The Lady Vanishes" is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It stars Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lucas, and Dame May Whitty.

The film takes place in , where two Englishmen are on their way back home. Also on her way home is a young women (Lockwood), who intends to marry her suitor when she arrives. On the night before the trip, she meets a young man and an elderly women named Mrs. Froyd. Whilst on the train the following day, her elderly companion disappears, and no one acknowledges she ever existed.

While the plot is quite simple, this was a very good film. Hitchcock does a brilliant job directing this little film. What I found most impressive were the miniatures and set pieces. I think back to a film last year. The Grand Budapest Hotel-directed by Wes Anderson-is similar to this classic in some respects. I can definitely see where Anderson possibly got some inspiration. The wonderful sets, costumes, and beautiful black and white cinematography make this a superb movie. Also, the script was delightful! It's full of fantastic dialogue and witty humor.