Tuesday, 10 July 2012

The 39 Steps (1935)




☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 

The 39 Steps (1935) -- A. Hitchcock

Seeing this on Blu-Ray (without blemishes, more or less) helps one to see the pictorial beauty that Hitch wasn't always known for (is this really Scotland or the studio, I wonder). In addition, he lets certain moments hold for a beat or two before fading to black which lends an extra emotional resonance to some scenes. These things lift what is already a pretty tightly plotted adventure story, which created a template for some of his later films (Saboteur, North by Northwest). Robert Donat is accused of murder and needs to expose an international spy ring in order to prove his innocence. A key work from Hitchcock's British period.


No comments:

Post a Comment