The 39 Steps

I was so prepared to not enjoy this, that when it was automatically recorded by my TiVo as part of the "Mystery" series, I very nearly deleted it without watching. I am a huge fan of Hitchcock, and have likely seen his version of "The 39 Steps" a hundred times. I had read the book years ago and remember thinking that the Hitchcock movie must not have been an adaptation.

Out of boredom, I decided to watch the 2008 version, thinking that I would turn it off and delete it within the first few scenes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did indeed resemble - if not follow faithfully - the original book. It held it's own. The characters were likable and well played. I thoroughly enjoyed Lydia Leonard as Victoria. They took liberties with this character, but in a satisfying way.

I will watch it again with my husband, whom I think will enjoy this as well. If you're expecting a remake of Hitchcock's movie, you'll be disappointed. Then again, I can see no reason to remake ANY of Hitchcock's films, so I was happy with this version of the book by John Buchan.

It was known that Alfred Hitchcock would buy a book or a story and then use as little as a sentence of it and create a whole new scenario for his film. This version of "The 39 Steps" is based on the book, not the Hitchcock movie; therefore, it's different. The stars are Rupert Perry-Jones, Lydia Leonard, Patrick Malahide, and Eddie Marsan.

Having seen the Hitchcock film and the play which uses the Hitchcock film, this 39 Steps is interesting but ultimately a downer. Hitchcock made this story his own, and anything else is going to be a disappointment.

The acting is good. Rupert Perry-Jones is an attractive lead, but he's not called upon to do very much. He's not Robert Donat, after all. Lydia Leonard is the suffragette Victoria. She's fun but she's not Madeline Carroll. There's not much, if any, suspense to be had - no being handcuffed together, no music hall scene, just a lot of chases through nice scenery.

It's worth watching to compare to Hitchcock and appreciate him all the more, but that's about it. I'd call this pleasant rather than exciting or suspenseful. There was one big surprise in a beginning apartment scene - if the film had continued like that, it would have had something.

Watching this at face value as a Masterpiece production, it was quite enjoyable. Rich production, lovely looking actors, and enough suspense and drama, with a bit of humor to pass a pleasant evening. Not having watched the previous versions, I didn't know what to expect and didn't have any expectations. I was looking for ninety minutes of entertainment and intrigue, and found it. If it had been called anything else besides the classic 39 Steps maybe there wouldn't be such a fuss. Sit back and enjoy, and stop comparing to what's been done. It's rare that a Masterpiece production is not worth watching. I'll check out the other versions eventually, but this one decidedly was more than watchable.

I agree with the reviewer who dismisses critics of this version as pseuds. They have no sense of social history. I've been reading and rereading Buchan's novels for over 70 years and have always enjoyed Hitchcock's 1935 film version regardless of its departures from the novel, which add to rather than detract from the original. The 1959 Kenneth More version still strikes me as attempting but failing to capture Hitch's touch, and, having recently rewatched the 1978 Robert Powell remake, I found it more enjoyable than I had remembered it. I approached this (2008) TV film with some apprehension, but as soon as I saw the opening frames of Hannay dispiritedly spinning a globe in the comfort of his club I knew I was going to like it. My first thought, of course, was to wonder how this version would contrive to introduce a female lead into the story, and in this respect I was not disappointed. As Victoria Sinclair, Lydia Leonard is rightfully as delightful as she is unbelievable. I've always thought Hitchcock did right to follow his inclination to give Hannay a partner. The trouble with all Buchan's novels (to my mind) is that he was incapable of painting a convincing female portrait. He may himself have been married, and even Hannay has a wife in the later stories, but he has absolutely no understanding or appreciation of women. In reflecting the masculine hegemony of Boys' Own tales he reflects the times he lived in, as do all the film versions each in their own way. I find this TV film just right for its time, and look forward to enjoying it again.

Shades of Robert Donat, Kenneth More and Robert Powell hover over this festive production from the BBC of John Buchan's classic novel, heck I can't even get Michael Palin's brilliant "Ripping Yarns" spoof out of my head, but it entertained pretty much all the way by taking itself just seriously enough without reverting to knowing post-modern sarcasm or worse yet campness. This is a "Boy's Own Adventure" and can only ever work by playing it straight. Don't mess with the Buchan in other words! Rupert Penry-Jones makes a fine Hannay, good looking, muscular if oddly blonde (the perfect Aryan specimen, ironically enough!) and interacts well with Lydia Leonard as the resourceful suffragette-cum-spy Victoria. I really liked Eddie Marson as the rent collector in the BBC's recent "Little Dorrit" dramatisation and so felt a little short-changed with his early demise. Of course the story is one long chase stopping only long enough for the various action or suspense-punctuating set-pieces and I rather liked the fact that these were accomplished without SFX or CGEN tricks.

I last read the book years and years ago so can't state for certain how faithful to source this was, (I only recall the political meeting episode from the novel if truth be told) but otherwise was perfectly happy to sit back, admire the glorious Scottish scenery, ancient cars period costumes and see True-Brit spunk and ingenuity triumph over the evil Bosche. The plot is of course wholly unbelievable and barely hangs together (including to top things off, a literally death-defying recovery by Victoria at the end to complete the happy ending), but just swallow an improbability pill beforehand and enjoy.

There are a couple of respectful references to Hitchcock scattered about (there must be people out there who think the original Hannay was a Hitch original, so ingrained in the memory is the Robert Donat/Madeleine Carroll film prototype) although quite how "North By North-West's" crop-duster scene found its way in here I'm not sure and perhaps more could have been made of the handcuff-scene, treated much more cheekily by the Master 70 odd years ago.

Nevertheless, I'll take this standard "Tally-Ho!" British fare over Indiana Jones any old day and hope there's a follow-up of sorts as I for one would welcome a revolt into style away from big-budget effects-fests in favour of more homespun dramas like this, tongue-in-cheek or not...