RyothChatty ridiculous rating

Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Monique One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Smoreni Zmaj Out of 16 Hitchcock's movies I saw so far, this one is definitely the worst. Starting from poorly developed and boring story, through uninteresting characters without any characterization, with which it is impossible to identify or at least sympathize, to visual mediocrity. I have absolutely nothing positive to say about this film.3/10

Red-Barracuda After witnessing a strange incident in a music hall which leads to the murder of a mysterious woman, a man is wrongly accused of the crime and goes on the run to Scotland in an attempt to uncover the mystery of The 39 Steps.This was the British film that truly established Alfred Hitchcock's reputation internationally. The one new thing that it brought to the table was the idea of combining a thriller with comedy elements. In the mid 30's this was a new concept and so what we have here is an espionage based chase film which also successfully combines battle of the sexes comedy and witty dialogue. It's a film too which could be described as a Hitchcock template, with a plot-line that he would return to many times in the years after its release. The innocent man, wrongly accused of a crime and accordingly put into a dangerous situation, while trying to prove his innocence – this is a story-line that became a cliché after a while but it was here that Hitchcock first utilised it. This is overall still a very entertaining film with some great set-pieces such as the suspenseful scenes on the Forth Bridge, the comic interplay between the leads in the hotel and the witty dialogue in the political meeting. All-in-all, a fine early offering from Hitchcock.

Chris Allen When watching a black and white film in the modern day it's easy to overlook subtle aspects which would've made it stand out for its time. "The 39 Steps" has all the hallmarks of a classic Hitchcock escapade with the addition of some of the most innovative cinematography ever. The smooth panning, cut-away shots, and smart camera angles are techniques which are revered even today; Hitchcock made the most of the sterile B&W format by prioritising cinematography to create a tense, gripping story. The main flaw with this adaptation is its divergence from the book - several significant points, such as the nature of the 39 steps and the inclusion of a female lead (Madeleine Carroll), were altered to make the film more exciting. If - like me - you haven't read the book, however, this isn't an impediment to the story at all. Surprisingly for an early film, the pace of the narrative is exactly right, never once moving too quickly (as many short 30s films have a tendency to do). Comic elements are blended seamlessly with tense sequences, emphasising Hanney's peril rather than undermining it. A strong sense of realism pervades the action, making the story even more beguiling. All the acting performances are sublime, but the real star of the film is the Scottish Highland backdrop, bleak and beautiful even in black and white. A sparse yet emotive score builds tension at key points; the dialogue is as sharp as in any Hitchcock thriller. The ultimate test of a classic film is if it can still be as entertaining as it was on its day of release, and "The 39 Steps" fulfils that category perfectly. It remains an excellent, amusing thriller which twists and turns right to the end, and will hopefully continue to delight audiences throughout the ages.

merrywater Hitchcock made this movie three times: the first was released in 1935 called "The 39 Steps", the second in 1942 called "Saboteur", and the third in 1959 named "North by Northwest".The basic ingredients are: (1) A lonely man wrongfully accused of something he didn't do. (2) His wanting to have himself in the clear. (3) His incapacity of turning his case over to justice. (4) His pursuit of the party who incriminated him. (5) His involvement in between with a blond girl that he can't trust. (6) His final encounter with his nemesis, preferably at a spectacular site."The 39 Steps" is truly a masterpiece, for it is still mesmerizes you in spite of being filmed 80 years ago! Which other movie that old does that? None whatsoever, I dare you. (The next likely candidate, "The Lady Vanishes" was only released three years later, and was directed by the Master of Suspense as well.)Now, "North by Northwest" would have been this masterpiece, had it not been preceded by "The 39 Steps". "Noth by Northwest" has some unforgettable moments as the pesticide aircraft chase, but the plot is anything but new."Saboteur" differs from the other two pictures in being excessively patriotic and antifascist, somewhat of war propaganda, shot during WWII as it was. It does have some exciting moments, but having seen the other two movies in the "trilogy", it just sticks out as the lesser attempt of them.