The 39 Steps (1935)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

John Buchan (adapted from the novel by)
Charles Bennett (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

1 August 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | 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:

On The Run | Spy | Police | Memory | Music Hall

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Robert Donat	...	Hannay
Madeleine Carroll	...	Pamela
Lucie Mannheim	...	Miss Smith
Godfrey Tearle	...	Professor Jordan
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Crofter's Wife
John Laurie	...	Crofter
Helen Haye	...	Mrs. Jordan
Frank Cellier	...	The Sheriff
Wylie Watson	...	Memory
Gus McNaughton	...	Commercial Traveller (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)
Carleton Hobbs	...	Fake Policeman #2 (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		(adapted from the novel by)
Charles Bennett		(adaptation)
Ian Hay		(dialogue)

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

Original Music by
Jack Beaver		(uncredited)
Louis Levy		(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	....	recordist

Special Effects by
Philippo 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 (presents) (as Gaumont-British Picture Corporation Ltd.) (as A Gaumont-British Picture also)

Distributors

• Gaumont British Distributors (1935) (UK) (theatrical) (controlled throughout The United Kingdom and Irish Free State by) (as Gaumont British Distributors Ltd)
• Gaumont British Picture Corporation of America (1935) (USA) (theatrical)
• Nederland NV (1935) (Netherlands) (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)
• Criterion Collection, The (1999) (2004) (2009) (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Elephant Films (2005) (France) (all media)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Filmmuseum Distributie (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (re-release)
• ITV DVD (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Suomi-Filmi (1936) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Parvisfilmi (1948) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Urania Film (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Sesam Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Magnum Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (8-disc Hitchcock Classic Collection)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1970) (1989) (1999) (2007) (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Les Films G.É.C.É. (????) (France) (theatrical)
• New Star (2011) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Ciné Video Film (????) (France) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2012) (Spain) (DVD)
• Emerald (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Home Video (GCTHV) (????) (France) (VHS)
• Grapevine Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• LS Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Network DVD (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (????) (USA) (TV)
• VTI Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Shepherd's Bush Studios  recorded at

Also Known As:

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: at Shepherd's Bush London)

Certification:

Argentina:13 (original rating) | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:U (re-release) (re-rating) (2008) | USA:Unrated | Norway:16 | UK:A (original rating) | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 (2002) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Netherlands:9 (2009 re-release) | Netherlands:14 (original rating) (1935) | Argentina:Atp (DVD rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1986) (1998) (2002) (2004) (2005) | UK:U (tv rating) | Finland:K-16 (1936) | Finland:K-8 (1987)

Filming Locations:

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Company:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Alfred Hitchcock] [MacGuffin]The secret McGuffin in The 39 Steps is retold by Mr. Memory (Wylie Watson).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Mr. Memory stops speaking and flinches before the shot is fired.

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 Carry on Regardless (1961)

Soundtrack:

We Shall Win

Sowing the Seeds of Suspense

Nearly every era in Hitchcock's directing career has incredible strengths. When we view a later film like "North by Northwest" we are tempted to say that "The 39 Steps" is simply a training film for the bigger budget, star studded film that came later. This is not true. This movie stands on its own. With wonderful actors like Robert Donat and Madeline Carrol, we are led on an intense ride, culminating in a crowded theater. There are amazing shots of the characters weaving their way through crowds, close ups used strictly for the purpose of moving the plot. With Hitchcock there is no excess. He is a poet with a camera. As the tension mounts and Donat's character becomes swept away in its arms, we are taken with it. His wisecracking character is out of words and must act, just as Cary Grant did in the aforementioned film. There is something lurking and we have to find out who it is and why does he need to know what he knows? I've seen this many times and will see it again.