Rating: 
Summary: BEWARE! Laserlight Video version is a waste of plastic!
Review: I cannot agree with most of the reviewers, here, about the movie itself. It's not that I dislike old movies; I'm actually a huge fan of movies from this era and of Hitchcock's later films. But, this particular movie has little to recommend it, in terms of entertainment value.You can, at times, see shades of the greatness to come in Hitchcock's direction, but he hadn't reached anywhere near his peak, at this point. I found the acting to be stilted, wooden, and caricaturish; the pacing alternately inappropriately frantic and unforgivably plodding. Judging from the reviews that specify the version, the Criterion Collection edition is quite a good transfer. Unfortunately, the Laserlight Video version is a waste of plastic; dreadful audio, grainy, alternately washed out and too dark, splices, skips, etc. It's the version currently selling for [$$], and isn't worth even that paltry sum. Students of Hitchcock, buy the Criterion Collection edition, if you must own this film. Fans of Hitchcock, rent the Criterion edition, if you wish to satisfy your curiousity. Everyone, avoid the Laserlight Video edition, at all costs!
Rating: 
Summary: Good Hitchcock film, with interesting extras
Review: Although this doesn't rank as high as Hitchcock's greatest films, such as North by Northwest, Vertigo, or Rear Window--The 39 Steps has an engaging story that keeps the audience moving along with its brisk pace. The movie introduces many classic Hitchcock staples. Fans will see many similarities to later works. Most notable is the classic Hitchcock theme of the wrongfully accused hero. Hitchcock, as always, demonstrates a mastery of the visual medium; the film is rich with story telling enabled through skillful use of the camera, rather using dialog as a crutch. The DVD includes a so-so documentary that surveys his early work in British film. A running commentary is also available, that highlights many fascinating elements. Overall, the DVD translation fulfills what I would expect from Criterion--top notch.
Rating: 
Summary: Want to see a thrill-filled movie in under two hours?
Review: Then get hold of Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps". Having received Criterion's release of "Notorious", and being blown away by all of the extra features and practically pristine print, I later got "The 39 Steps" for my birthday. Among the extras are digital copies of press books, lobby cards, and even a radio broadcast. As for the film itself...no one but Hitchcock could weave so many events - mayhem at a music hall, mistaken identity, foreign spies, chases through moving trains, mixups at political rallies - in a clear, clever film which is never crammed or labored. And what is more of a marvel is that all of these events - and many more - play out in a film which is just under an hour and one half! Alfred Hitchcock filmed "The Thirty -Nine Steps" in 1935, early in his career. Genius, and even prodigy of film.
Rating:
Summary: The "Master"'s First Steps
Review: Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film, THE 39 STEPS, is among the best known of the director's British movies. The film's style and theme of the wrong man accused, would allow the filmmaker to improve on his own work, with 1959's NORTH BY NORTHWEST. In "Steps", Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) finds himself wrongly accused of crimes and involved in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, across Scotland. Of course, no Hitchcock thriller is complete, without a lovely leading lady. The film also traces Hannay's relationship with Pam (Madeline Carroll). Bent on global domination is Professor Jordan (Godfrey Tearle), who is one of the more colorful villians of the director's British period. The film may lack a certain amount of the subtle touches that mark the later American films of Mr. Hitchcock. But I still say that he was well on his way to honing his craft here and gearing up for a "trip across the pond" The Criterion DVD is a winner over the movie only disc. It follows the pattern of other Hitchcock films put out under the Criterion label. Once again, Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane, provides a good commentary. The complete LUX radioplay version from 1937 allows you to compare and contrast to the film, which is cool. The "vintage" documentary examines the rarely seen films that the director made in Britain. The disc also includes an interactive look at the original press book. and production design sketches. Finally the transfer of the film is fantastic, considering the elements they had to work with to put it all together This is a must for anyone who likes Hitchcock.
Rating:
Summary: Marvellous early Hitchcock British suspense thriller
Review: "The 39 Steps" was one of Alfred Hitchcock's very early British film successes before he left for Hollywood where he achieved even greater fame and celebrity status. Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) is enjoying a variety show at a London theatre when he meets a mysterious young woman named Annabella Smith (Lucie Mannheim) who is in trouble and seeks his help. He takes her back to his flat where she gives him some important information about a gang of spies who are trying to kill her. (Hannay: "It sounds like a spy story". Smith: "That's exactly what it is"). During the night she is murdered with Hannay of course the chief suspect. Although innocent he goes on the run from the police taking a train to Scotland. During the train journey he meets Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) who initially thinks he is a killer but later reluctantly teams up with him when they get to Scotland and eventually believes his story and begins to realise that he is innocent after all. They are involved in many dangerous situations together and get trapped in one tight corner after another while trying to avoid both the villains and the police. They return to London to attempt to solve the mystery where the film reaches a dramatic but satisfactory conclusion. Some favourite lines from the film: Lucie Mannheim (to Robert Donat): "I had to get away from the theatre quickly. There were two men there who wanted to kill me". Donat (to Madeleine Carroll): "There are 20 million women on this island and I've got to be chained to you". Donat (to Carroll): "May I ask what earthquake caused your brain to work at last?". "The 39 Steps" was remade in colour in 1959 with Kenneth More and again in 1978 with Robert Powell but neither of these remakes can compare with the original Hitchcock version. For anyone who is interested in spotting Hitchcock's regular cameo appearance this comes quite early in the film as Hannay and the girl he meets at the theatre board a bus to go back to his flat. (Hitchcock is seen as a passer-by throwing some litter into the street). One of Hitchcock's most entertaining early films with his popular "innocent man on the run" theme he was so fond of. Clive Roberts.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie and the DVD is a bargain
Review: The quality of the Laserlight/Hollywood Classics DVD releases appears inconsistent at best. Their version of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is quite good, while their edition of Orson Welles' MR. ARKADIN was shockingly poor. Fortunately, Laserlight's issue of THE 39 STEPS falls into the former category. While I'm sure the Criterion Collection version is probably superior in terms of picture and sound quality, it's also much more expensive (at least four times the price). If you are just looking for a useable copy to watch without worrying about extras, this version should be just what you're looking for. THE 39 STEPS is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most famous films and upon viewing it's easy to see why. The plot revolves around an old Hitchcock standby - an innocent man who becomes caught up in an international secret society of spies. The story may be very straightforward, but Hitchcock was excellent at making even the most ordinary events seem thrilling. For example, while hiding out in the highlands of Scotland, the protagonist pretends to be a visitor interested in securing a place to stay overnight. His concealment in the Scottish house is a fairly short scene yet it highlights everything that Hitchcock did best. Not only is the character on the run from the police and the foreign spies, but he's faced with convincing his benefactor that he isn't having an affair with the man's wife. These little touches really help demonstrate how a man who had been a normal member of society was now a complete outcast from the world even from those people who know nothing about the spy plot. The acting is uniformly bright and the two leads (who become handcuffed together) have real chemistry. Their motivations were obviously painstakingly worked out, with neither one of them behaving irrationally. Madeleine Carroll's character is not won over simply by being charmed by the handsome, Canadian hero, but through careful uncovering of the real facts behind their chase. Every step along the way seems believable and the annoying movie cliché of people suddenly believing or disbelieving the hero beyond all rational thought is thankfully avoided here. The Tony Curtis introduction is rather bland, and the included trailer for NORTH BY NORTHWEST isn't in terribly great condition. However, you won't be buying this DVD for the extras - the movie is entertainment enough.
Rating:
Summary: Marvellous early Hitchcock British suspense thriller
Review: "The 39 Steps" was one of Alfred Hitchcock's very early British film successes before he left for Hollywood where he achieved even greater fame and celebrity status. Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) is enjoying a variety show at a London theatre when he meets a mysterious young woman named Annabella Smith (Lucie Mannheim) who is in trouble and seeks his help. He takes her back to his flat where she gives him some important information about a gang of spies who are trying to kill her. (Hannay: "It sounds like a spy story". Smith: "That's exactly what it is"). During the night she is murdered with Hannay of course the chief suspect. Although innocent he goes on the run from the police taking a train to Scotland. During the train journey he meets Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) who initially thinks he is a killer but later reluctantly teams up with him when they get to Scotland and eventually believes his story and begins to realise that he is innocent after all. They are involved in many dangerous situations together and get trapped in one tight corner after another while trying to avoid both the villains and the police. They return to London to attempt to solve the mystery where the film reaches a dramatic but satisfactory conclusion. Some favourite lines from the film: Lucie Mannheim (to Robert Donat): "I had to get away from the theatre quickly. There were two men there who wanted to kill me". Donat (to Madeleine Carroll): "There are 20 million women on this island and I've got to be chained to you". Donat (to Carroll): "May I ask what earthquake caused your brain to work at last?". "The 39 Steps" was remade in colour in 1959 with Kenneth More and again in 1978 with Robert Powell but neither of these remakes can compare with the original Hitchcock version. For anyone who is interested in spotting Hitchcock's regular cameo appearance this comes quite early in the film as Hannay and the girl he meets at the theatre board a bus to go back to his flat. (Hitchcock is seen as a passer-by throwing some litter into the street). One of Hitchcock's most entertaining early films with his popular "innocent man on the run" theme he was so fond of. Clive Roberts.
Rating:
Summary: Murder and mystery in Scotland
Review: "The 39 Steps" will never be called anyone's favorite Hitchcock film. He had not yet hit his stride, and many of the Hitchcock hallmarks had not yet been developed. Most famous in this film is the use of the "MacGuffin Principle," seen in movies such as "Pulp Fiction" and "The Maltese Falcon." There is something everyone wants, but what it is isn't really important. Still, it is an enjoyable movie and worth the time to watch it. The film starts very slow, with an extremely contrived beginning catapulting our wayward protagonist into adventure and mystery. Robert Donat is very charming as the Canadian Richard Hannay, and he accepts the call to adventure readily. The trail leads him from England to Scotland, and there the story finally begins to come together. Once in Scotland, Donat schemes and charms his way through an entertaining cast of characters, from the brusque Scotsman and his young bride, willing to sell Donat out for a few pounds, to the classical 4-fingered man, each moves the hero a few more steps along his dangerous path. Along the way, he ends up handcuffed to the lovely Madeleine Carroll, and then drags her along for the ride. How the movie ends...well, you certainly don't expect me to tell you! If you do buy "The 39 Steps," definitely pick up the Criterion Collection version. The extras are deluxe, and well worth the extra cost. The Lux Radio presentation is a real gem. One of my favorite extras on the Criterion disks. "The Art of Film: Vintage Hitchcock" is an excellent documentary on Hitchcock's British films. As always, the commentary is also excellent.
Rating:
Summary: a great Hitchcock classic
Review: This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film. The 39 steps, one of Hitchcock's most well known British films, is surely a great one bansed on the "wrong man" theme. A woman claiming to be an intelligence agent trying to stop two men from taking a vital secret out England is killed in a young man's flat. She is holding a map and telling the man to go there. He finds himself falsely accused of her murder and now being chased by the killers and the police, while at the same time trying to stop the spies from leaving the country. This is all I will divulge bevause I don't want to give any spoilers. The acting is very good and the camera angles are some of Hitchcock's most famous. Look for Hitchcock's cameo appearance 7 minutes into the film. When a you see a bus, Hitchcock is the 'litterbug' in that scene. The Criterion collection add some great special features to the DVD. The complete Lux radio Theater broadcast of the story Scene-specific audio commentary by Hitchcock expert Marian Keane
Production design sketches
Parts of the original press book
A Janus films documentary on Hitchcock's British films and of course a theatrical trailer.
Rating:
Summary: When were Helicopters invented?
Review: I was of the belief that helicopters wern't invented until WW2 or later, but after seeing this excellent movie, and the moors scene where one is chasing our hero, I realise that I was mistaken. What an excellent film, and the best thing about it was that there were lots more to come from Hitchcock. Robert Donat's character is very likable, completley unflappable. He never seemed to take his situation seriously at all, no matter how dire things seemed. Reminded me of Simon Templar of the SAINT. A BIG BIG reccomendation from me. See it, and see it again.
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