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The Lady Vanishes

Play trailer Poster for The Lady Vanishes Released Nov 1, 1938 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 50 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel in a fictional European country, young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) befriends elderly Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty). When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler (Michael Redgrave) and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly.
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The Lady Vanishes

The Lady Vanishes

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Critics Consensus

One of Alfred Hitchcock's last British films, this glamorous thriller provides an early glimpse of the director at his most stylishly entertaining.

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Critics Reviews

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Otis Ferguson The New Republic More than any of the English-speaking film men, Hitchcock is a one-man show, getting every detail straight in his head and the way he wants it before the first camera starts rolling. Dec 26, 2023 Full Review Wendy Ide The Times (UK) An enjoyable mystery... Oct 10, 2022 Full Review John C. Mosher The New Yorker As full of surprises, horrors, thrills, even humor, as the other Hitchcock productions. Aug 11, 2022 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Hitchcock effortlessly navigates this vivid thriller from light comedy to high tension and back again, creating one of his most enchanting and entertaining mysteries. Aug 19, 2023 Full Review Kristin Battestella InSession Film Train whistles pepper the constant travel hum, rail montages, rear projection, and black and white photography – keeping the confined setting fittingly well paced with perilous comings and goings between cars. Jul 25, 2023 Full Review James T. Hamada The Nippu Jiji (Honolulu) A powerful story of espionage and treachery. Apr 15, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C 1 hour and 38 minutes of successful mystery solving. In British English with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/02/25 Full Review Nettie P Amusing, interesting, entertaining. Especially wonderful if you like 30s trains Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/06/25 Full Review helder f A good movie, with some good plot twists that are entertaining enough. Not sure that we needed great part of the first part of the movie. Or that they connect well with the second part of the movie. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/26/24 Full Review Rare T Suspenseful, humorous, and romantic; all-in-one. The plot thickens, and that’s all it ever does. The Lady Vanishes is sheer Hitchcock ingenuity. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/07/24 Full Review Lars N It takes its sweet ass time to get going. Why oh why do we need to be with two English men who haven't got any significant part to play? But once we're on the train, all the schemes and trickery from the great auther kicks in. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/26/24 Full Review Micah H An odd mix of comedy and suspense that doesn’t always work, but usually is very high quality and entertaining. Even in a “weaker” film, Hitchcock shows his mastery. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/02/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Margaret Lockwood

Iris Matilda Henderson

Michael Redgrave

Gilbert Redman

Dame May Whitty

Miss Froy, Governess

Paul Lukas

Dr. Hartz of Prague

Googie Withers

Blanche

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The Lady Vanishes

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Movie Info

Synopsis On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel in a fictional European country, young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) befriends elderly Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty). When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler (Michael Redgrave) and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Producer
Edward Black
Screenwriter
Ethel Lina White, Sidney Gilliat, Frank Launder
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp., Gaumont British Distributors
Production Co
Gainsborough Pictures
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 1, 1938, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 8, 2015
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
35mm
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