In March 1914, a mining engineer named Richard Hannay tries to prevent Prussian agents from executing a political assassination designed to trigger World War I.
Richard Madden shares why this was the role for him, and what he swiped from the "Game of Thrones" set.
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Title: The Thirty Nine Steps (1978)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Robert Powell | ... | Hannay | |
| David Warner | ... | Appleton | |
| Eric Porter | ... | Lomas | |
| Karen Dotrice | ... | Alex | |
| John Mills | ... | Scudder | |
| George Baker | ... | Sir Walter Bullivant | |
| Ronald Pickup | ... | Bayliss | |
| Donald Pickering | ... | Marshall | |
| Timothy West | ... | Porton | |
| Miles Anderson | ... | David | |
| Andrew Keir | ... | Lord Rohan | |
| Robert Flemyng | ... | Magistrate | |
| William Squire | ... | Harkness | |
 |
Paul McDowell | ... | McLean |
| David Collings | ... | Tillotson | |
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Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
The year is 1914 and Richard Hannay, Mining Engineer who is visiting Britain for a short time before returning to South Africa, is shocked when one of his neighbours, Colonel Scudder, bursts into his rooms one night and tells him a story that Prussian 'sleeper' agents are planning to pre-start World War I by murdering a visiting foreign minister. However, Scudder is murdered and Hannay is framed for the death by the 'sleepers'. Fleeing to Scotland Hannay attempts to clear his name and to stop the agents with the aid of Alex Mackenzie but not only is he is chased by Chief Supt Lomas for Scudder's death but by the agents who is headed by Appleton who has managed to hide himself in a high-placed position in the British Government... Written by Anonymous
Taglines:
Every second counts in the adventure of a lifetime! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
2 May 1980 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The 39 Steps See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$2,000,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$1,046,332, 31 December 1980Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$11,046,332, 31 December 1980Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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And thanks to Richard Hannay, Britain gained valuable time to prepare for The Great War. See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The film takes place from March 3 to March 15, 1914. See more »Goofs
The train in which Hannay travels to Scotland is far too modern. The coaches were built by the LMS railway company which was formed in 1924 and the loco was built after WW2. See more »Crazy Credits
SPOILER: Closing credits epilogue: Edward Appleton was convicted of treason in May 1914.And thanks to Richard Hannay, Britain gained valuable time to prepare for The Great War. See more »
R Houghton's review claims that "...with this version, we finally get the story as it was written."
This is a very long way from true. To note only three departures, the thirty-nine steps of the original text do not refer to the steps leading up to Beg Ben, but to a staircase leading from a house in Bradgate down to the sea; in the original text, Scudder is knifed in Hannay's flat; and the scene of Hannay clinging to the hands of the clock appears nowhere in Buchan's novel.
But all that said, this production is a fine piece of work in its own right, having great pace, style and atmosphere, and with some first-class acting from Robert Powell.