The 39 Steps

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The 39 Steps

1935

1h 20m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

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55 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

While on vacation in London, Canadian Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) becomes embroiled in an international spy ring related to the mysterious "39 steps." Then he meets agent Annabella Smith (Lucie Mannheim), who is soon killed in his apartment. He must elude the police, who are hunting him for murder, while he tries to stop Professor Jordan (Godfrey Tearle) from sending secrets out of the country. Hannay is assisted by Pamela (Madeleine Carroll), an unwilling accomplice who discovers the truth.

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Critics Consensus

Packed with twists and turns, this essential early Alfred Hitchcock feature hints at the dazzling heights he'd reach later in his career.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

The 39 Steps is a masterclass in propulsive narrative cinema that even today's so-called blockbuster auteurs should study.

Sep 9, 2015

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Martin Chilton

Daily Telegraph (UK)

The scene in which Mr Memory is asked at the London Palladium "What are the 39 Steps?" remains one of 20th-century cinema's most gripping moments.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 30, 2014

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TIME Magazine

The Thirty-Nine Steps neatly converts its essential implausihility into an asset by stressing the difficulties which confront its hero when he tries to tell outsiders about the predicament he is in.

Aug 5, 2014

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... an effortless balance of romance and adventure set against a picaresque landscape populated by eccentrics and social register smoothies, none of whom what they appear to be.

Oct 5, 2023

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Jorge Luis Borges

Sur

From an absolutely dull adventure story -- The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan -- Hitchcock has drawn a good film. He has invented episodes. He has inserted wittiness and mischievousness where the original contained only heroism.

Dec 15, 2021

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Forsyth Hardy

Cinema Quarterly

[Hitchcock] tells the story clearly and convincingly and the wildly melodramatic moments are in part offset by such well observed sequences as the Scottish political meeting, the Forth Bridge episode, and the discreetly managed scene in the inn bedroom.

Feb 4, 2021

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Chris H

This is a great film, full of intrigue and derring do. You need to remember that it was made before WWII, so the spy theme clearly has a timeless quality. Looking at it with 21st century eyes, it must be said that it reflects the ideas of the time (especially as regards relationships with women) and this is unfortunate; hence half a star knocked off, although perhaps that's unfair.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/04/25

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David K

Hitchcock hitting his stride. Excellent by any standards.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/22/25

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Mads M

What a film! Loved it from start to finish

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/05/25

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Stephen C

A success for a spy movie in 1 1/3 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/02/25

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jacob c

The 39 Steps proves itself as an early triumph for Hitchcock, with solid performances, a sharp script, and a brisk, rousing and complex spy story.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

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John P

There are few scenes worth admiring and enjoying in this movie—Richard's initial escape aboard a Scotland-bound train was mildly exciting—but it never quite manages to amass any real momentum or tension, with Hitchcock's lackadaisical approach draining the proceedings of its suspense. It's an underwhelming vibe that's perpetuated by Donat's less-than-frantic turn as the laid-back central character, with Richard's consistently cavalier demeanor preventing the viewer from wholeheartedly working up any real interest in his supposed to be perilous plight. The lack of chemistry between Donat and Carroll's respective characters only compounds the hands-off feel, and it's clear, too, that the abrupt and anticlimactic finale ensures that the whole thing ends on a decidedly forgettable note, which finally confirms The 39 Steps' place as a fairly palpable misfire from Hitchcock.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/10/25

Full Review

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Robert Donat

Richard Hannay

Madeleine Carroll

Pamela

Godfrey Tearle

Professor Jordan

Lucie Mannheim

Miss Annabella Smith

Peggy Ashcroft

Margaret, crofter's wife

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Synopsis

While on vacation in London, Canadian Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) becomes embroiled in an international spy ring related to the mysterious "39 steps." Then he meets agent Annabella Smith (Lucie Mannheim), who is soon killed in his apartment. He must elude the police, who are hunting him for murder, while he tries to stop Professor Jordan (Godfrey Tearle) from sending secrets out of the country. Hannay is assisted by Pamela (Madeleine Carroll), an unwilling accomplice who discovers the truth.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Michael Balcon, Ivor Montagu
Screenwriter: John Buchan, Charles Bennett, Ian Hay
Distributor: Gaumont British Distributors, LS Video, Grapevine Video
Production Co: Gaumont British Picture Corporation Ltd.
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 1935, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 12, 2017
Runtime: 1h 20m
Sound Mix: Mono

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