Search - The Thirty-Nine Steps on DVD

Content Advisory: Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1978 Format: DVD SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Studio: Carlton Ent. Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Spy Film, Action, Action Thriller

This 1978 re-remake of The 39 Steps adheres more closely to the source novel by John Buchan than Alfred Hitchcock's better-known original, restoring the pre-World War I time frame of the Buchan story. Hannay (Robert Powell) is an innocent bystander, suspected by enemy agents of having intercepted their secret war plans. Pursued by both the spies and the police, Hannay runs for his life in the company of Alex (Karen Dotrice). The Thirty-Nine Steps ends with a "high and dizzy" sequence on the face of Big Ben, borrowed from the 1942 Will Hay comedy My Learned Friend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Powell - Hannay
David Warner - Appleton
Eric Porter - Lomas
Karen Dotrice - Alex
John Mills - Scudder

The second remake of John Buchan's -The Thirty-Nine Steps is closer in content and spirit to the book than either the classic Hitchcock version or the 1959 remake -- not that it doesn't take some liberties with the plot, but at least it tries to follow the book. Carlton's DVD release is letterboxed at a non-anamorphic aspect ratio of approximately 1.75:1, in what is generally a beautiful transfer with good (if not over-loud) sound. The extensive location shooting in the British hinterlands benefits greatly from this transfer. There are no extras apart from an original trailer, and the ten chapters are surprisingly adequate to breaking down the action of this briskly paced period thriller. The disc opens on a simple menu that offers easy access to the trailer. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide