Movie reviews: The Thirty Nine Steps (1978)
Robert Powell stars as Richard Hannay, an innocent embroiled in a plot concerning enemy agents planning to assassinate the Greek Prime Minster. It all begins when a neighbour of Hannay's, a Colonel Scudder (John Mills), burst into his apartment and tells Hannay that he has discovered an enemy plot. Scudder is then murdered by said enemy agents and Hannay is framed for the crime. Hannay manages to flee custody and makes his way to Scotland with the enemy agents hot on his tail. Karen Dotrice plays Alex Mackenzie, Hannay's love interest, and David Warner plays one of the enemy agents.
This movie is one of those that has been remade any times over the years. The first version made in 1935 in black and white and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Next there was a colour remake in 1959 starring Kenneth More. Then came this version in 1978. Finally there was a made-for-TV movie in 2008.
Buying the DVD was a bit of a kerfuffle. I ordered the 1978 version from Amazon, but they sent me the Hitchcock original. I had to order the bloody thing again. Thankfully, I enjoyed the movie when it finally arrived. The highlight for me must have been the climax atop Big Ben when Hannay tries to thwart the bad guys. There's a device in the mechanism of the clock and it will detonate when the clock reaches 11.45. In order to stop the clock Hannay climbs out onto the clock face and dangles from the big hand. It really is thrilling stuff.
Everybody played their parts very well. John Mills wasn't in the movie for long as he was soon killed off by enemy agents. You really feel sorry for Hannay too. he ends up being framed for a crime he didn't commit and is chased all around the country by the authorities and enemy agents alike.
There's a rather silly bit of business at a health spa where the enemy agents have drugged Hannay, leaving him confined to a wheelchair unable to move. Fortunately he begins to regain his movement and makes his getaway, trundling down the corridor to come crashing into a party being held at the spa. I remember something similar happening in John Pertwee's first story as Doctor Who. The Time Lords had made the Doctor regenerate and he is still a bit wobbly in his body. U.N.I.T. capture the Doctor thinking that he is an enemy agent and there's a chase with him confined to a wheelchair. It was all quite silly.
Three and a half pointy hats.
Next time: The Three Musketeers (1973)
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