Richard Hanney has a rude awakening when a glamorous female spy falls into his bed - with a knife in her back. Having a bit of trouble explaining it all to Scotland Yard, he heads for the hills of Scotland to try to clear his name by locating the spy ring known as The 39 Steps.
Direction
Hitchcock's breakthrough—every set piece still thrills.
Acting
Donat's charm makes handcuffs look like foreplay.
Editing
The 'what are The 39 Steps?' cut—pure narrative cocaine.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Robert Donat
Richard Hannay
Madeleine Carroll
Pamela
Lucie Mannheim
Annabella Smith
Godfrey Tearle
Professor Jordan
Peggy Ashcroft
The Crofter's Wife Margaret
John Laurie
John the Crofter
Helen Haye
Louisa Jordan
Frank Cellier
Sheriff Watson
Wylie Watson
Mr. Memory
Gus McNaughton
Salesman on the Flying Scotsman
Jerry Verno
Salesman on the Flying Scotsman
Peggy Simpson
The Jordans' Maid
Matthew Boulton
Fake Police Officer (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock
Man Walking Past Bus (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 'handcuffed couple' trope? Hitchcock invented it here because Carroll's dress kept catching on furniture.
This is where Hitchcock perfected his 'wrong man' formula—North by Northwest owes this scrappy 86-minute sprint everything.
GB
