Stars: Robert Powell, David Warner, Eric Porter, Karen Dotrice, John Mills

Director: Don Sharp

Summary: Based on Buchan's classic novel about a plot to assassinate the Greek Prime Minister and precipitate the outbreak of war.

A classic British spy mystery, and one of Hitchcock's best, THE 39 STEPS is the story of an innocent man who struggles to prove his innocence. Robert Donat gets more than he bargained for when he brings home a mysterious woman who confesses to be a British agent on the hot trail of a dangerous spy ring. The woman is killed in Donat's apartment and he immediately finds himself on the run, burdened with the charge for her murder and the dangerous knowledge of her mission. The film is distinguished by its pioneering use of contrapuntal sound effects, as well as the dynamism between Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll.

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Reviewed by: davybozal24-7
Posted on April 2, 2006 11:15 AM

Set in 1914 , this suspenseful action thriller is much closer to John Buchan's original novel than Hitchcock's classic version .
Colonel Scudder ( John Mills ) , a member of British Intelligence ,
discovers a plot to assassinate the Greek Prime Minister and trigger a war . After 2 of his colleagues are murdered , Scudder takes refuge with Richard Hannay ( Robert Powell ) . Caught up in international intrigue and murder , Hannay soon finds himself on the run from the conspirators and the police .
Featuring a mavellous cast of British character actors , including
David Warner , Timothy West and Eric Porter plus of course Big Ben.

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It's not the 1935 Hitchcock classic, but this sturdy 1978 adaptation of John Buchan's The Thirty Nine Stepsis still a rollicking good adventure. In keeping with the Boys' Ownderring-do of the story (set in Edwardian London and the Scottish Highlands), the movie maintains a brisk pace that's interrupted only for tea or cocktails. Robert Powell is Richard Hannay, the man who unwittingly becomes embroiled in a dastardly Prussian plot to assassinate the Greek Prime Minister. Framed for murder, Hannay must flee to Scotland and attempt to clear his name whilst outwitting the prune-faced Prussian agents. Among all the deftly choreographed action sequences and careful period settings there's a strong vein of humour in the film, and if it wasn't for the numerous murders there would be little reason for PG certification. The grand dénouement comes with the realisation that the predicted time for the assassination is linked to Big Ben; unlike the earlier movie this version climaxes memorably with Powell hanging from the clock's minute hand. It might not be Hitchcock behind the lens, but it's still jolly good fun. --Joan Byrne

Aspect Ratio:	1.77 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	1978
Release Date:	April 14, 2003
Runtime:	98 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	37115 04163
Label:	Classic Collection
Keywords:	General, Wide, Screen, Nine, Steps, Thirty, Drama
Genre:	Drama