The 39 Steps (1935)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

John Buchan (novel)
Charles Bennett (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

1 August 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

His First Picture Since "Monte Cristo" ROBERT DONAT

Plot:

A man in London tries to help a counterespionage agent. But when the agent is killed and he stands accused, he must go on the run to both save himself and also stop a spy ring trying to steal top secret information.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Spy | Music Hall | Murder | Foreign Agent

Cast

Robert Donat	...	Richard Hannay
Madeleine Carroll	...	Pamela
Lucie Mannheim	...	Annabella aka Miss Smith
Godfrey Tearle	...	Professor Jordan
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Margaret - Crofter's Wife
John Laurie	...	John - Crofter
Helen Haye	...	Mrs. Jordan
Frank Cellier	...	Sheriff Watson
Wylie Watson	...	Mr. Memory
Gus McNaughton	...	Commercial Traveller with Pipe (as Gus Mac Naughton)
Jerry Verno	...	Commercial Traveller
Peggy Simpson	...	Maid
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ivor Barnard	...	Political Meeting Chairman (uncredited)
Charles Bennett	...	Second Passerby Near the Bus (uncredited)
Noel Birkin	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ex-Det. Sergt. Bishop	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Matthew Boulton	...	Fake Police Officer (uncredited)
Edgar K. Bruce	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Kate Cutler	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Philip Desborough	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Pat Hagate	...	M.C. Who Introduces Mr Memory (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Passerby Near the Bus (uncredited)
Vida Hope	...	Usherette (uncredited)
Robert Horton	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Elizabeth Inglis	...	Professor Jordan's Daughter (uncredited)
James Knight	...	Detective At London Palladium (uncredited)
Hubert Leslie	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Miles Malleson	...	Palladium Manager (uncredited)
Quentin McPhearson	...	Clergyman On The Flying Scotsman (uncredited)
Phyllis Morris	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Frederick Piper	...	The Milkman (uncredited)
Hilda Trevelyan	...	Innkeeper's Wife (uncredited)
John Turnbull	...	Scottish Police Inspector (uncredited)
S.J. Warmington	...	Scotland Yard Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
John Buchan		(novel "The 39 Steps")
Charles Bennett		(adaptation)
Ian Hay		(dialogue)

Produced by
Michael Balcon	....	producer (uncredited)
Ivor Montagu	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Hubert Bath		(uncredited)
Jack Beaver		(uncredited)
Charles Williams		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Bernard Knowles		(photography)

Film Editing by
Derek N. Twist		(as D.N. Twist)

Art Direction by
Oscar Friedrich Werndorff		(as O. Werndorff)
Albert Jullion		(uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pen Tennyson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Albert Whitlock	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
A. Birch	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
P. Guidobaldi	....	miniature builder (uncredited)
Jack Whitehead	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Reg Johnson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Peter Sargent	....	clapper-boy (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marianne	....	wardrobe
Joe Strassner	....	dress designer (as J. Strassner)

Music Department
Louis Levy	....	musical director
Louis Levy	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Alma Reville	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Distributors

• Gaumont British Distributors (1935) (UK) (theatrical)
• Gaumont British Picture Corporation of America (1935) (USA) (theatrical)
• Gaumont-France Distribution (1936) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmes Luís Machado (1936) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1942) (Australia) (theatrical)
• General Film Distributors (GFD) (1942) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Victory Films (1951) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• Hal Roach Studios (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Laserlight Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Elephant Films (2005) (France) (all media)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• ITV DVD (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Les Films G.É.C.É. (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Alpha Video Distributors (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Ciné Video Film (????) (France) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Home Video (GCTHV) (????) (France) (VHS)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• LS Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (????) (USA) (TV)
• VTI Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Shepherd's Bush Studios  recorded at

Also Known As:

The Thirty-Nine Steps (UK) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (British Acoustic Film Full Range Recording System)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 (2002) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Unrated | Norway:16

Filming Locations:

Big Water of Fleet Viaduct, Dromore, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, UK

Company:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Trivia:

Visa de censure en France (1951): #11533/D.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Professor Jordan suggests Richard Hannay commit suicide, he says "What if I leave you alone with this revolver?" when he is clearly brandishing a small-caliber semi-auto pistol.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Music hall announcer: Ladies and Gentleman, with your kind attention, and permission, I have the honor of presenting to you one of the most remarkable men in the world.
Heckler in Audience: How remarkable? He's sweating!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Fractured Flickers: (#1.1)" (1963)

Soundtrack:

Tinkle, Tinkle, Tinkle

Don't be put off by its age - this one is worth seeing.

If what you want from a thriller is in-yer-face mugging, special effects, noise, a booming soundtrack, gore, nudity and flashy editing, this one is not for you.

However if you are a more discerning moviegoer who values a great script, exquisite understated acting, wit, humour and intelligence, and you are willing to overlook the technically rough bits (come on, this was 1935, you cannot measure it by 2005 standards !!) - then enjoy, because you are in for a treat.

Robert Donat is one of the most charming heroes that ever graced the screen, and but for his frail health and loathing of the Hollywood pzazz (he later refused some great movie parts offered to him, which eventually went to the likes of Erroll Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks Jr) he might have become one of the greatest. Watch the dinner scene with the crofters, in which he manages to convey his plight to the wife entirely without words. Great acting. Also the wickedly funny bravura piece at the political rally.

Madeleine Carroll must be among the coolest and feistiest of Hitchcock's favoured blondes, not as insipid or irrelevant as many of the others were. She is a veritable icicle and it takes a long time for her to thaw, but then watch the sparks fly.

I feel a little sad for the people who cannot be bothered to check out this movie because of the tinny sound or the b&w photography. Forget about those superficialities and concentrate on the real values - the script, the acting, the lighting, photography and camera work -, just allow yourself to get carried away with the fast paced action, and you'll love it.