The 39 Steps

Wanted for a murder he didn’t commit, a man (Robert Donat) investigates a spy ring in order to clear his name.

The 39 Steps is an engaging early thriller from director Alfred Hitchcock that foreshadows some of his later films including Saboteur and North by Northwest.

Granted, leads Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll are no Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, but they’re passable, and the script keeps things moving along fast enough that they aren’t forced to carry the movie. Further, the few times when the plot does slow down, there’s some great dialog, such as during the bedroom scene at the inn.

Still, all is not perfect. Donat does take a little getting used to and the script’s handling of Carroll’s character is a bit off. Specifically, she initially refuses to believe Donat’s character at all, only to suddenly come around when she overhears a pair of would-be policemen at the inn. Never mind that these same policemen had been acting extremely suspicious all along. Thus, her attitude shift seems more like a plot convenience than a genuine change of heart.

That said, The 39 Steps is a fast moving thriller that should please Hitchcock fans and while it may lack the star-power of his later efforts, at only 86 minutes it’s also a lot leaner.