As you may know by now, I’m quite a fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, despite being abhorred by his morals. Saying that, I’ve seen relatively few of his films, so thought I’d step right back to the start of his career with this one.
The 39 Steps – though not the earliest entry into his filmography – was loosely based on a novel and released all the way back in 1935. As with many of Hitchcock’s theatrical releases, the film focuses on a conspiracy that is discovered by the unsuspecting Richard Hannay (Robert Donat), who finds himself thrust in a chase to Scotland after he learns of some information that he should not have. Alongside that? An unexpected romance blossoms.
Only got 90 minutes to spare? Then this is the film for you! If your choice is either two episodes of Riverdale or this cinematic classic, then the choice is obvious.
I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy Hitchcock’s earlier work, what with it being made with such old cameras etc, but he manages to make this look so cinematic in a way that the only shame ends up being that it’s not in full Technicolor. Saying that, it’s definitely not as good as his most-renowned masterpieces (Rear Window, for example), so don’t go into it expecting absolute greatness. It is, however a good insight into how Hitchcock developed his later ideas from these roots.
Technically, the editing and the sound mixing is unsurprisingly clunky given its age, but again, that’s purely because the technology was not advanced enough yet. One has to forgive that, surely?
What Hitchcock manages to do though – even with such limited resources – is simply outstanding. The way he layers shots on top of one another is dreamlike and utterly innovate for 1935. Although The 39 Steps came way before his “Golden Age”, there are so many telltale devices that make this undoubtedly Hitchcock, even though he had not yet hit his stride. A must for film students, that’s for certain.
Some of the acting here is certainly wooden and over-dramatised (and don’t even mention the dodgy Scottish accents), but Robert Donat as the lead stands out as the film’s shining light. Not only is he convincing, but he’s also handsome, which is always a bonus. It is a shame, however, that Hitchcock brushes his female characters to one side as usual…
It’s quite a simple story really, but it’s truly well-written, containing a sense of mystery that will keep you glued to your screen for the most part.
The 39 Steps is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
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