The 39 Steps (1935)
90%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 1 nomination
Packed with twists and turns, this essential early Alfred Hitchcock feature hints at the dazzling heights he’d reach later in his career.
The 39 Steps is a classic thriller that still holds up today. Hitchcock’s direction is masterful, and the story is full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Plus, who doesn’t love a good “wrong man” plot? The film is a perfect blend of suspense and humor, and the performances are top-notch. If you’re looking for a fun and thrilling movie night, The 39 Steps is a must-watch. Just don’t forget to ask yourself, “What are the 39 Steps?
Production Company(ies)
Hell’s Kitchen Films, Universal Pictures,
Distributor
Grapevine Video, LS Video, Gaumont British Distributors
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Glen Coe, Highland, Scotland, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Approved
Year of Release
1935
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Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
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Runtime:1h 20m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 1935 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 2, 1999
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Godfrey Tearle, Lucie Mannheim, Peggy Ashcroft, Wylie Watson, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by John Buchan, Charles Bennett, Ian Hay, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kevin Maher, Martin Chilton, J Hoberman, Variety Staff, Ian Freer, Dave Kehr, Jorge Luis Borges, Forsyth Hardy, Mike Massie, Matt Patches, MPAA rating, produced by Michael Balcon, Ivor Montagu, Grapevine Video, LS Video, Gaumont British Distributors, The 39 Steps, Richard Hannay, Mr Hammond, Capt Fraser, Henry Hopkinson, Pamela, Professor Jordan, Miss Annabella Smith, Margaret, crofter’s wife, Mr Memory, propulsive narrative cinema, espionage adventure, twists and turns, dazzling heights, thrilling, comedic caper, suspenseful set pieces, twists, consistent sense of humor, intelligent, entertaining, genre, original language, release date, distributor, sound mix, cast and crew, critic reviews, audience reviews, horror movies, TV shows, MCU movies, renewed and cancelled TV shows, Netflix series, Tomatometer, Fandango
Worldwide gross: $51,711
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,359,155
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,518
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 148,218
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Madeleine Carroll – Pamela
Godfrey Tearle – Professor Jordan
Lucie Mannheim – Miss Annabella Smith
Peggy Ashcroft – Margaret, crofter’s wife
Wylie Watson – Mr. Memory
Director(s)
Alfred Hitchcock
Writer(s)
John Buchan, Charles Bennett, Ian Hay
Producer(s)
Michael Balcon, Ivor Montagu
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (2)
The 39 Steps is a masterclass in propulsive narrative cinema that even today’s so-called blockbuster auteurs should study.
September 9, 2015
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The scene in which Mr Memory is asked at the London Palladium “What are the 39 Steps?” remains one of 20th-century cinema’s most gripping moments.
December 30, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Martin Chilton
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
In Hitchcock’s hands, however, this well-known espionage adventure provided the basis for a new sort of thriller and a new sort of comedy.
September 4, 2008
J. Hoberman
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
It’s melodrama and at times far-fetched and improbable, but the story twists and spins artfully from one high-powered sequence to another while the entertainment holds like steel cable from start to finish.
August 18, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Hitchcock at his very best.
April 11, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Ian Freer
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
As an artist, Alfred Hitchcock surpassed this early achievement many times in his career, but for sheer entertainment value it still stands in the forefront of his work.
July 9, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
From an absolutely dull adventure story — The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan — Hitchcock has drawn a good film. He has invented episodes. He has inserted wittiness and mischievousness where the original contained only heroism.
December 15, 2021
Jorge Luis Borges
Sur
[Hitchcock] tells the story clearly and convincingly and the wildly melodramatic moments are in part offset by such well observed sequences as the Scottish political meeting, the Forth Bridge episode, and the discreetly managed scene in the inn bedroom.
February 4, 2021
Forsyth Hardy
Cinema Quarterly
A noteworthy example of Hitchcock’s early thrillers, riddled with plotting, backstabbing, clever twists, and the big reveal of the meaning behind the title.
August 5, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The 39 Steps transcends the time period: part Bond movie, part comedic caper, and anchored by a performance that feels Ryan Goslingian, it’s a black-and-white movie that feels alive and contemporary.
August 4, 2020
Matt Patches
Polygon
Made in England 1935, ‘The 39 Steps’ isn’t the first Hitchcock film constructed around “the wrong man” conceit, but it’s one where he found his touch.
July 27, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Michael J. Casey
Boulder Weekly
It’s a gripping entertainment.
April 14, 2020
James T. Hamada
The Nippu Jiji (Honolulu)…
Plot
Richard Hannay is a Canadian visitor to London. At the end of “Mr Memory”‘s show in a music hall, he meets Annabella Smith, who is running away from secret agents. He agrees to hide her in his flat, but she is murdered during the night. Fearing that he could be accused of the murder, Hannay goes on the run to break the spy ring.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Robert Donat plays the lead role of Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps.
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