The best known of Hitchcock's British films, this civilized thriller follows the escapades of Richard Hannay (Robert Donat), who stumbles into a conspiracy that involves him in a hectic chase across the Scottish moors – a chase in which he is both the pursuer and the pursued. This classic Hitchcock “wrong man” thriller includes a stop in John Laurie’s crofter’s cottage, a political meeting where Hannay improvises a speech without knowing who or what he’s supporting, and a period where he’s handcuffed to the resentful heroine (Madeleine Carroll). Adapted from John Buchan’s novel, The 39 Steps encapsulates themes that anticipate Hitchcock’s biggest American thrillers (especially North By Northwest), and is a standout among his early works.
