Review of The Lady Vanishes (1938) by Michael S — 13 Apr 2008

"The Lady Vanishes" starts by introducing an eccentric group of characters and is at this point very benign though charming. Given that this is a Hitchcock film and the film's title, it is apparent, though, that sooner or later a lady will vanish in a mysterious circumstance.

It is upon Iris Henderson and Gilbert Redman and to solve the mystery, and Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave are superb at portraying an initially frosty relationship that improves as the mystery develops. An excellent cast of suspicious characters is developed, and most of them deny that there is a mystery.

This film incorporates a lot humor, but the humor is never out of place and does not detract from the development of the mystery. Even the dry humor, particularly in the two Englishmen that are unfazed by any developments and constantly concerned with attending a cricket match, benefited the film. The mystery itself is intriguing and remains so with its various twists. There are a limited amount of action scenes, but the film's principal focus is its mystery, which is to its advantage.