THE 39 STEPS (1935) - Jan. 22, 2004 (S)
Another winner from Hitchcock! This was really good despite being so early in Hitchcock's career (1935). Another variation on his classic "wrong man" theme, with a normal man thrust into the world of espionage after a woman he has just met (a spy) confides in him and then is murdered. The whole sequence on the train (starting with a woman's scream turning into a train whistle) was really well done. In fact the movie is very fast-paced, particularly considering how old it is. It only slows down a little bit when the two main characters stop and spend the night in the hotel. The climax was good, and in fact a bit touching, when Mr. Memory is able to perform one last time, validating the main character's story by reciting the top secret plans for the airplane. I also like the final shot, with the two main characters holding hands. ***1/2
No comments:
Post a Comment