#56: HITCHCOCK, Alfred: The 39 Steps (1935)

HITCHCOCK, Alfred (United Kingdom)
The 39 Steps [1935]
Spine #56
Blu-ray


A heart-racing spy story by Alfred Hitchcock, The 39 Steps follows Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) as he stumbles upon a conspiracy that thrusts him into a hectic chase across the Scottish moors — a chase in which he is both the pursuer and the pursued — as well as into an unexpected romance with the cool Pamela (Madeleine Carroll). Adapted from a novel by John Buchan, this classic wrong-man thriller from the Master of Suspense anticipates the director's most famous works (especially North by Northwest), and remains one of his cleverest and most entertaining films.

86 minutes
Black & White
Monaural
1:33:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2012

Director/Writers


Alfred Hitchcock was 36 when he directed The 39 Steps.
Adapted from the novel by John Buchan.
Adaptation by Charles Bennett.
Dialogue by Ian Hay.


The Extras

The Booklet

DVD: Six-page wraparound featuring an essay by Marian Keane.
Blu-ray: Fourteen-page booklet an essay by David Cairns.

Commentary

DVD/Blu-Ray: By Hitchcock scholar Keane.
DVD/Blu-ray: Lux Radio Theatre

The complete 1937 broadcast, performed by Robert Montgomery and Ida Lupino.

DVD: The Art of Film: Vintage Hitchcock
Blu-ray: Hitchcock: The Early Years (2000)

A Janus Films documentary detailing the director’s British period.

DVD/Blu-ray: Original production design drawings

Original footage

Blu-ray: From British broadcaster Mike Scott’s 1966 television interview with Hitchcock.

Excerpts

Blu-ray: Visual essay

By Hitchcock scholar Leonard Leff.

Blu-ray: Visual essay

By Hitchcock scholar Leonard Leff

Blu-ray: Audio excerpts

From François Truffaut’s 1962 interviews with Hitchcock

DVD: From the original 1935 press book.

DVD: Audio essay

By Keane.

DVD: Theatrical trailer

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Complete Criterion Collection By Director

The Complete Criterion Collection By Spine #

#1271: LONERGAN, Kenneth: You Can Count On Me (2000)