"The 39 Steps" by Alfred Hitchcock (1935)

Because I detested film version of "And Than There Were None" I was very cautious about approaching another screen version of a novel, however I do have huge respect and love for that genius of British cinema Alfred Hitchcock, after all he is the only movie director who actually improved on novel (he made Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca" into even better experience and added Mrs.Denvers where in the novel she was hardly mentioned). Add to this that I am still not familiar with John Buchan so its all new to me. Had I read the novel, I might have been upset with liberties and changes.

"The 39 Steps" is quite surprisingly effective movie for something created in 1935 - its often cited as the real beginning of Hitchcock, with ingredients we grew to recognise as his trademarks. Innocent bystander gets caught up in the complex, Kafkaesque nightmare of international espionage intrigues and meets icy blonde who unwillingly becomes his fellow traveller trough dangerous situations. Its all a bit far-fetched but still very entertaining, although I didn't really care for Robert Donat and found small, supporting roles of greedy farmer John Laurie and his young, lonely wife Peggy Ashcroft much more fascinating. In her role as Hitchcock blonde, beautiful Madeleine Carroll is actually very good and surprisingly strong willed for the 1930s when most of the female roles were purely decorative - her assertive personality is delight to watch. Eclipsed by sheer wealth of Hitchcock's filmography, this is movie still worth visiting and checking out. Of note is his confident way with mass scenes in music halls, the now lost world of old London that looks like time machine.