Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Good movie but grossly overrated

Expected more

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The 39 Steps took a while to hook me in and while it was far fetched at times, it turned out to be a decent film by the end. It didn't however do enough to make me want to re-watch it with renewed interest.A woman comes to Hannay for help. He agrees to hide her in his flat, but in the night she is murdered. How did they kill her in the flat? I'll assume they wanted to pin the murder on Hannay instead of killing him while they were already in the flat. Hannay goes to Scotland to find the man the murdered woman was going to see, but why is he going there? He has no information. Robert Donat was solid in the main role and Madeleine Carroll was terrific. Every scene that took place in the hotel was of a high quality, the film needed more of that magic throughout for me.

Hitchcock is certainly directed over 10 films to the "THE 39 STEPS". The director who promises, or simply he does not succeed to make a good movie. There are many reasons. Hitch persistently raises and cares for their style. This way of expression in the British film industry is not going well. Specific time. Average and commercial novel, a story loosely based on the novel of the same name, a solid budget and freedom to work were the guarantor of director's success.At the heart of the story is a murder around which interfere an innocent man, a beautiful girl, a lot of plot, mystery and conspiracy. The story is solid, at times illogical and very exciting. Hitchcock's convinced me that probability, logic and detailing are not the key to good film. This genre is needed speed, excitement and tension. I condemn some directors called "masters". Hitch is one of them. I will be more clear, the script is well written and composed, only some segments targeted set aside. Complications are in the right place, even though they appear out of nowhere and keep uncertainty at a high level. The characters are quite interesting, and each is special in its own way. Even those who appear in several scenes fit perfectly into the story.Robert Donat as Richard Hannay is a kind of tragic hero who accepts his fate and searches for truth. Donat's choice for leading actor is a hit. Madeleine Caroll (Pamela) is offensive and frightened female character. The change in her character that comes with the knowledge of the truth is impressive. It is more beautiful and charming.I think the director did not take into account the chemistry between the two main actors. Donat and Carroll made sure that it is. There are especially fine performances by John Laurie as the treacherous Scot who harbors the fugitive, Peggy Ashcroft as his sympathetic wife, Godfrey Tearle as the man with the missing finger, and Wylie Watson as the memory expert of the music halls, who proves to be the hub of the mystery. Hitchcock's magic at work.

The 39 Steps is a great early Hitchcock pot-boiler. This is what every "masala film" should aspire to be.Every twist in the film is an event in itself. the plot isn't really that important but the ending is ingenious. The Mr.Memory character is a great creation.It is amazing how much Hitchcock packs into an 86 minute film. The melancholic housewife in the Scottish highlands who longs for the city life and her strict religious husband - what a strange choice of characters to make an appearance in an exciting film like this. I never saw that coming. They are a perfect foil for the gung-ho bar running couple who appear towards the end of the film. Both couples provide shelter to the man on the run, of course.The writing is unbelievably clever. Every scene is adorned with witty and tongue in cheek dialog. I guess The Third Man borrowed the bit with the man on the run entering a meeting and talking to an unsuspecting audience to escape the police from this film.The 39 Steps proudly wears its contrivances on its sleeve.The choices of camera angles at the beginning and ending of the film are very stylish.(8/10)

This movie just isn't as watchable and enjoyable as some other Hitchcock movies are. The beginning is especially "bad". Well , just far from great.Then, it gets better. But it never gets great.The relationship with Pamela just isn't right on the screen. It doesn't make sense. There should be a bit more intense , confused relationship. With both attraction and being unsure. But it just falls flat. There is no attraction. And only disbelief. So, the scenes in the movie just don't make much sense. It doesn't make sense, why she is making certain decisions. Such as calling him out when they are handcuffed together and on the run, and at the next moment being quiet. Especially when it is quite obvious that he would not hurt her. So, a lot of incongruence. Or just plainly bad acting/casting.I don't know, sadly this movie just isn't convincing enough.But, it is made in 1935!!! So, huge props and lenient approach is appropriate.Especially because there are a lot of amazing , probably first seen tricks , that we later see in a large variety of movies.So, kinda hard to rate. Real rating of: 6.3