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the audience applauded

hyped garbage

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Wooden acting, massive plot holes, continuity blunders and more. When we got to the end credits I was astonished to see that this lemon was actually produced by The BBC!!The SE5a aircraft out of time in history was hilarious. That aircraft first flew three years after the year in which the film is set and was a military aircraft that would have been unavailable for private purchase, but the baddie has one casually parked outside his castle. The crack East Coast main line from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh is depicted as it enters Scotland in this film by a single track branch line railway with the train hauled by a light-duty steam engine that would be typically found pulling small local trains or freight in the provinces.The baddie cannot make his getaway on the submarine because it is only able to stay surfaced for 3 minutes and had to resubmerge before he could row out to it?? What on Earth is that about??? What stopped the sub from remaining surfaced?The veteran cars that sounded exactly like modern cars......etc etc.All these bloopers made the film actually quite entertaining to watch so I give it three stars for accidental entertainment value.

When the Guthrie Theatre of Minneapolis announced its 2010 dates of live presentations and The 39 Steps was a part, I thought first of Hitchcock and wondered. His 1935 film was immensely entertaining when I first saw it on TV in the '50s or '60s -- Mr. Memory at the Music Hall, the Scotland chases, the room at the inn, and back to the Music Hall with Mr. Memory's explanation. I could hardly wait to see it again, and when I did it had lost something for me. Obviously, with mysteries, that is the case. Nevertheless, I'll always treasure the first experience. Years later I found Buchan's 1915 novel (one of a series using Hannay as the protagonist) at a yard sale and ate it up. As John Huston did with The Maltese Falcon novel, Hitchcock did with The 39 Steps -- followed a great story well told and just translated it to film. Or so I thought. I'd forgotten until finding this under "Questions" about the film: "... the actual 39 steps are different ... Hannay is never handcuffed to a woman...the romantic bit was made up for the movie...". But "both stories are highly episodic.... Buchan ... long discrete chapters ... whereas Hitchcock hurtles abrupt changes...". Well, why not since novels employ the art of high, middle, and low points but film language is the art of high points, mainly. Gotta be that way. Reluctant to watch this TV version, I did so anyway. You have to for comparison sake. I found the two leads, male and female, attractive and effective, and the camera work just as good. I'm still planning to find the book on one of my shelves. And when I do, I'll give it another go. And lay it out for my wife to consider. (Oh, oh. She says I did that the first time, and she has read it.) I remember the book as rather thin in appearance but thick with adventure. A red binding. The Guthrie stage version was a testament to creative stage adaptation. The fast pace was great fun with five (5!) actors doing quick changes for multiple roles but never harming the context. Now I found the book: copyright MCMXV, fewer than 230 5x8 pages.

Enjoyable version up to very end.In the last scene at St Pancras how did the heroine come back to life after being shot and falling in the Scottish lake?No explanation,yet after 4 MONTHS,there she is,and not even communicating with Hannay-just sending her brother,and then she disappears!It was as if the final minutes of the film had been cut out! Then Hannay,who after 4 months not seeing her,instead of rushing to try to find her,just smiles towards where she was seen,and goes to catch his train!I was left completely up in the air,thinking that some final scenes must have been cut,and feeling cheated by not being told what had happened in those 4 months.

I was so prepared to not enjoy this, that when it was automatically recorded by my TiVo as part of the "Mystery" series, I very nearly deleted it without watching. I am a huge fan of Hitchcock, and have likely seen his version of "The 39 Steps" a hundred times. I had read the book years ago and remember thinking that the Hitchcock movie must not have been an adaptation.Out of boredom, I decided to watch the 2008 version, thinking that I would turn it off and delete it within the first few scenes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did indeed resemble - if not follow faithfully - the original book. It held it's own. The characters were likable and well played. I thoroughly enjoyed Lydia Leonard as Victoria. They took liberties with this character, but in a satisfying way.I will watch it again with my husband, whom I think will enjoy this as well. If you're expecting a remake of Hitchcock's movie, you'll be disappointed. Then again, I can see no reason to remake ANY of Hitchcock's films, so I was happy with this version of the book by John Buchan.