THE THIRTY NINE STEPS is the third adaptation of John Buchan's famous spy novel, following the Hitchcock film and the 1950s-era remake with Kenneth More. The 1950s version remade the Hitchcock film and copied a lot of the elements like the villain with a missing digit and the hero being handcuffed for an extended time. This fresh-faced '70s outing ignores the Hitchcock film totally and goes back to basis to provide a more authentic version of the original novel.
And it's a great little movie! Okay, Don Sharp was no Hitchcock, but he always knew how to shoot fine-looking films and THE THIRTY NINE STEPS is no exception. It has bags of atmosphere to boot, and out of the three adaptations it's the one that has the best spy genre feel to it. It moves along at a cracking pace, slipping in humour and suspense and providing a great time for the viewer along the way.
Robert Powell had a decent decade of playing leading man roles before he disappeared off cinema screens in the mid '80s and this is one of his best productions. His Richard Hannay is more realistic and less cinematic than most, more ordinary and a bit stand-offish to begin with. His character grows on you as the story progresses thanks to his sheer determination so that by the halfway mark the viewer is fully behind him.
The supporting cast is a cracker too: John Mills as the ally, David Warner as the villain, plus a meaty turn from Ronald Pickup as a heavy. The only weak spot is Karen Dotrice, whose bland love interest threatens to drag things down; thankfully she doesn't, and the thrills and spills carry on right until the climax as set-piece builds on set-piece. It sounds strange to say it, but I find THE THIRTY NINE STEPS to be the definitive version of the story and a film that narrowly outdoes Hitchcock at his own game.
And it's a great little movie! Okay, Don Sharp was no Hitchcock, but he always knew how to shoot fine-looking films and THE THIRTY NINE STEPS is no exception. It has bags of atmosphere to boot, and out of the three adaptations it's the one that has the best spy genre feel to it. It moves along at a cracking pace, slipping in humour and suspense and providing a great time for the viewer along the way.
Robert Powell had a decent decade of playing leading man roles before he disappeared off cinema screens in the mid '80s and this is one of his best productions. His Richard Hannay is more realistic and less cinematic than most, more ordinary and a bit stand-offish to begin with. His character grows on you as the story progresses thanks to his sheer determination so that by the halfway mark the viewer is fully behind him.
The supporting cast is a cracker too: John Mills as the ally, David Warner as the villain, plus a meaty turn from Ronald Pickup as a heavy. The only weak spot is Karen Dotrice, whose bland love interest threatens to drag things down; thankfully she doesn't, and the thrills and spills carry on right until the climax as set-piece builds on set-piece. It sounds strange to say it, but I find THE THIRTY NINE STEPS to be the definitive version of the story and a film that narrowly outdoes Hitchcock at his own game.