The 39 Steps (1935 film)

The 39 Steps

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1935
Founder	Alfred Hitchcock (director)
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Spy thriller film

The 39 Steps is a 1935 British spy film thriller helmed by director Alfred Hitchcock, featuring performances by Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll. The story is loosely adapted from John Buchan's 1915 novel The Thirty-Nine Steps and centers on Richard Hannay, a Canadian civilian who becomes involved in preventing a spy network called "The 39 Steps" from acquiring classified British military information. After being falsely implicated in the murder of a counter-intelligence agent, Hannay escapes to Scotland, where he collaborates with Pamela in an effort to prove his innocence and thwart the espionage ring.

Regarded as a cinematic classic, the film earned praise from notable figures such as filmmaker Orson Welles, who described it as a "masterpiece," while screenwriter Robert Towne acknowledged its lasting impact on contemporary escapist cinema.

Plot

During a performance at a London music hall, Richard Hannay witnesses gunfire amid a display by "Mr. Memory." He subsequently assists Annabella Smith, a spy who discloses a conspiracy involving the theft of British military secrets by an organization known as "The 39 Steps." After Smith is murdered in Hannay's apartment, he uncovers a map leading to the Scottish Highlands and evades assassins by boarding the Flying Scotsman train bound for Scotland.

Upon arriving at Edinburgh's Waverley Station, Hannay realizes he is wanted for Smith’s murder. To avoid arrest, he kisses Pamela, the sole other occupant of his train compartment; however, she informs the authorities. Hannay manages to escape when the train halts on the Forth Bridge.

Traveling further north, Hannay takes refuge with a crofter and his wife, Margaret, who assists him in fleeing police pursuing him via autogyro. He reaches Alt-na-Shellach, residence of Professor Jordan, who reveals himself as the head of the spy ring and is missing the top joint of his little finger. Jordan shoots at Hannay but fails to inflict a fatal wound due to Hannay’s concealed hymnary.

Seeking aid from the local sheriff—an acquaintance of Jordan—Hannay is met with disbelief and must flee once more. Mistaken for a speaker at a political gathering attended by Pamela, Hannay delivers an unplanned speech before being apprehended. During transport, he realizes the officers are conspirators; he escapes custody by handcuffing Pamela to himself.

They find shelter at an inn where Pamela overhears conspirators confirming Hannay's account. She alerts the police about Jordan’s scheme to retrieve secret documents at the London Palladium but is met with skepticism and followed.

At the Palladium, Hannay identifies Mr. Memory’s theme tune and deduces that Mr. Memory possesses the stolen secrets. When Hannay exposes "The 39 Steps," Mr. Memory inadvertently divulges details about the spy network before Jordan kills him and is subsequently captured. Mr. Memory dies reciting confidential aircraft engine designs as Hannay and Pamela come together.

Cast

• Robert Donat as Richard Hannay
• Madeleine Carroll as Pamela
• Lucie Mannheim as Annabella Smith
• Godfrey Tearle as Professor Jordan
• Peggy Ashcroft as Margaret, wife of the crofter
• John Laurie as John, the crofter
• Helen Haye as Mrs. Louisa Jordan, spouse of the professor
• Frank Cellier as Sheriff Watson
• Wylie Watson as "Mr. Memory"
• Gus McNaughton as Commercial Traveller
• Jerry Verno as Commercial Traveller
• Peggy Simpson as Maid
• Matthew Boulton as Fake Policeman

Adaptation

The screenplay was originally crafted by Charles Bennett working closely alongside Hitchcock, with additional dialogue penned by Ian Hay. This film adaptation significantly departs from John Buchan's novel, excluding scenes such as those set in the music hall and on the Forth Bridge. Hitchcock introduced pivotal female characters—Annabella, portrayed as a spy, and Pamela, the hesitant companion. Unlike the novel and other versions where The 39 Steps refers to literal steps and the antagonists are known as "The Black Stone," here it represents a covert organisation. Hitchcock also refined the storyline to eliminate the unlikely coincidences found in the original book.

Conception

The 39 Steps represented a major British cinematic effort targeting global audiences, especially in the United States. Backed by Gaumont-British, its budget approached £60,000—considerably exceeding that of Hitchcock’s earlier film The Man Who Knew Too Much, which was £40,000. The elevated expenses were largely attributed to securing leading actors Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll, both well-known to American viewers, a factor crucial for the film’s overseas appeal. To enhance contemporary relevance, Hitchcock included references such as Scottish industrialist and aviation pioneer James Weir’s use of an autogyro for commuting.

Music

Although Hitchcock reportedly harbored a dislike for Jessie Matthews, he selected her song "Tinkle, Tinkle, Tinkle" from Evergreen to accompany Mr. Memory’s final lines and the film’s fade-out in The 39 Steps. Additionally, an orchestral rendition of her "May I Have The Next Romance With You" was featured during the ballroom scene in his 1937 production Young and Innocent.

Hitchcockian elements

The 39 Steps exemplifies one of Hitchcock’s hallmark motifs: an innocent individual forced to flee, a theme also present in films like The Lodger (1927), Saboteur (1942), and North by Northwest (1959). Central to the plot is a classic Hitchcockian MacGuffin—the secret designs for a silent aircraft engine—which propel the narrative but hold minimal actual significance for viewers.

Among Hitchcock’s trademark cameos, this film features one about seven minutes in, where both Hitchcock and screenwriter Charles Bennett walk past a bus that Robert Donat and Lucie Mannheim board outside a music hall. The bus follows London Transport’s number 25A route through neighborhoods familiar from Hitchcock’s East End upbringing. In this brief appearance, Hitchcock is seen discarding a cigarette packet on the ground, subtly portraying a less idealized image of the area. He also makes a fleeting appearance as an audience member hastily leaving after gunfire erupts in the opening scene.

A notable narrative twist occurs midway when protagonist Hannay is shot at close range and appears dead—a daring storytelling choice that foreshadows similar shocks in Hitchcock’s later work like Psycho. Hannay survives because a hymn book in his coat pocket absorbs the bullet.

This film helped establish Madeleine Carroll as the archetype of Hitchcock’s elegant, aloof leading ladies—his renowned 'Hitchcock blondes'. Critic Roger Ebert observed that these characters were usually blonde, emotionally distant, stylishly fetishistic, psychologically intricate, and often captivated vulnerable men. Significant scenes take place at iconic London landmarks including King's Cross station, Piccadilly Circus station, and feature an intense sequence on the Forth Bridge.

Release and reception

Paramount's Earl St John identified the film as one of the six most popular titles of 1935. Additionally, it ranked seventeenth in popularity at the British box office during 1935–36 according to another source.

Initial critical responses were favorable. Andre Sennwald of The New York Times regarded it as among the most inventive and engaging melodramas of that year, emphasizing Hitchcock’s expert direction. Variety described it as "one of the finest" international espionage narratives, skillfully edited with just the right amount of comedic elements. The Monthly Film Bulletin praised it as "top-tier entertainment," remarking that Hitchcock’s guidance combined with Donat’s acting sustained tension despite some plot conveniences. John Mosher of The New Yorker lauded its brisk pace, suspenseful moments, and unexpected twists.

Looking back, critics continue to acknowledge its significance within Hitchcock’s oeuvre. Ethan Brehm from HiConsumption observed Hitchcock’s inspiration drawn from Russian silent cinema and German expressionism, commending his creative use of point-of-view techniques.

In a public vote, The Examiner named it the best British film of 1935.

Among the four principal cinematic adaptations of the novel, Hitchcock’s rendition is regarded as the most distinguished. The British Film Institute placed it fourth among the top British films of the twentieth century in 1999; Total Film ranked it 21st on their list of greatest British movies in 2004 and second among book-to-film adaptations in 2011. The Village Voice included it at number 112 in its 1999 Top 250 "Best Films of the Century." In 2016, Empire positioned it at number 52 on "The 100 best British films," while a 2017 poll by Time Out rated it as the 13th-best British film ever produced. Orson Welles cited this film as one of his preferred Hitchcock works, describing it as "a masterpiece," and took part in a 1939 radio adaptation.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film enjoys a 96% approval rating from 53 reviews, averaging 8.90/10; the critical consensus labels it "an essential early Alfred Hitchcock feature" that anticipates his later successes. It also holds a Metacritic score of 93 out of 100. In 2021, The Daily Telegraph included it on an unranked list titled "The 100 best British films of all time," and in 2022, Time Out placed it eighth among "The 100 best thriller films ever made."

Copyright status and home media

Although The 39 Steps remains under copyright protection globally, unauthorized copies have circulated widely on home video formats. Nevertheless, several authorized and restored versions have been issued on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital streaming services by distributors including Network in the United Kingdom and The Criterion Collection in the United States.

Legacy

In chapter ten of J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, protagonist Holden Caulfield reflects on the film’s influence, mentioning his sister Phoebe’s strong admiration and intimate knowledge of it.

The comedic stage adaptation The 39 Steps, which parodies the film, was originally penned in 1995 by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon. A revised version by Patrick Barlow from 2005 has enjoyed performances both in London’s West End and on Broadway.

External links

• Alfred Hitchcock Collectors' Guide: The 39 Steps available at Brenton Film
• Thirty-Nine Steps to Happiness analysis by David Cairns hosted by the Criterion Collection