Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1938
Country: United States
Main cast: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Cecil Parker, Linden Travers, Naunton Wayne, Basil Radford, Catherine Lacey, Josephine Wilson
Genres: Comedy thriller, Mystery, Drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
I did hear a lot how remarkable The Lady Vanishes is. But I didn't have any idea that it would be SO good. I did hear that it was one of the best, maybe the best British film directed by Hitchcock, but I thought it can be almost called a classic. True, it is not an excellent film like Vertigo or Psycho or North by Northwest, but certainly, it is an early sign of the master of suspense's brilliance and excellence, which he would later prove with the beautiful Vertigo, the scary and suspenseful Psycho, and the suspenseful Rear Window.
The Lady Vanishes starts in an inn. Because of an avalanche, the train cannot run, so the passengers who would be in the train are forced to spend the night at an inn. Among the characters who stay at the inn are our protagonist, Iris (Lockwood), an elderly governess, Miss Froy (Whitty) and a musicologist, Gilbert (Redgrave). This part is filled with fun, jokes and comedy. The first twenty minutes or so of the film tend to be extremely light, without giving us a hint of how suspenseful it will become. The first shock comes as Miss Froy is standing at her window, hearing delightfully to a musician who is playing nearby, and when she looks away, a hand strangles the man who was playing the instrument...
The next morning, as everybody is preparing to get into the train and Iris is talking to Miss Froy, somebody throws something, apparently targeted at Miss Froy, and the thing hits Iris instead. Miss Froy, who is an extremely kind lady, takes care of her. In the train, Iris and Miss Froy have tea together, and then they go to their compartment. Iris closes her eyes, falling asleep...
Iris opens her eyes, and sees... that there is no Miss Froy in front of her. When she asks the other passengers of the compartment, they reply that there was no elderly lady traveling with her. And then she asks everybody who had apparently seen her with Miss Froy. And they also reply that there was no old lady with her, that she had taken her tea alone, the steward even showing the evidence that tea had been ordered for only one person. Where has Miss Froy disappeared? Has something terrible been happening to her? Is she in danger? Iris teams up with Gilbert, the young musicologist, to search for Miss Froy, and to save her from the danger that she is possibly facing.
The Lady Vanishes is really a suspenseful film. And there is a lot of comedy as well. The film is filled with humor and at the same time, with thrills. Humor is present in most Alfred Hitchcock films, but mostly they remain wry. The Lady Vanishes is meant to be a comedic thriller. It's meant to make the audience feel afraid and thrilled, and at the same time, laugh at the humor and the funny actions of Iris and Gilbert.
Margaret Lockwood gives a perfectly excellent performance as Iris, while Michael Redgrave is amazing as Gilbert. Dame May Whitty, as the kindly, warm, elderly lady Miss Froy, is perfect.
The last scene was really heartwarming. The puzzle and mystery was excellent, and while I didn't think that the solution to the mystery was excellent, it was satisfactory and nice as well. Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this movie. Filled with suspense, thrills and humor, this is a must-watch for all Hitchcock fans.
4 out of 5
Released: 1938
Country: United States
Main cast: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Cecil Parker, Linden Travers, Naunton Wayne, Basil Radford, Catherine Lacey, Josephine Wilson
Genres: Comedy thriller, Mystery, Drama
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
I did hear a lot how remarkable The Lady Vanishes is. But I didn't have any idea that it would be SO good. I did hear that it was one of the best, maybe the best British film directed by Hitchcock, but I thought it can be almost called a classic. True, it is not an excellent film like Vertigo or Psycho or North by Northwest, but certainly, it is an early sign of the master of suspense's brilliance and excellence, which he would later prove with the beautiful Vertigo, the scary and suspenseful Psycho, and the suspenseful Rear Window.The Lady Vanishes starts in an inn. Because of an avalanche, the train cannot run, so the passengers who would be in the train are forced to spend the night at an inn. Among the characters who stay at the inn are our protagonist, Iris (Lockwood), an elderly governess, Miss Froy (Whitty) and a musicologist, Gilbert (Redgrave). This part is filled with fun, jokes and comedy. The first twenty minutes or so of the film tend to be extremely light, without giving us a hint of how suspenseful it will become. The first shock comes as Miss Froy is standing at her window, hearing delightfully to a musician who is playing nearby, and when she looks away, a hand strangles the man who was playing the instrument...
The next morning, as everybody is preparing to get into the train and Iris is talking to Miss Froy, somebody throws something, apparently targeted at Miss Froy, and the thing hits Iris instead. Miss Froy, who is an extremely kind lady, takes care of her. In the train, Iris and Miss Froy have tea together, and then they go to their compartment. Iris closes her eyes, falling asleep...
Iris opens her eyes, and sees... that there is no Miss Froy in front of her. When she asks the other passengers of the compartment, they reply that there was no elderly lady traveling with her. And then she asks everybody who had apparently seen her with Miss Froy. And they also reply that there was no old lady with her, that she had taken her tea alone, the steward even showing the evidence that tea had been ordered for only one person. Where has Miss Froy disappeared? Has something terrible been happening to her? Is she in danger? Iris teams up with Gilbert, the young musicologist, to search for Miss Froy, and to save her from the danger that she is possibly facing.
The Lady Vanishes is really a suspenseful film. And there is a lot of comedy as well. The film is filled with humor and at the same time, with thrills. Humor is present in most Alfred Hitchcock films, but mostly they remain wry. The Lady Vanishes is meant to be a comedic thriller. It's meant to make the audience feel afraid and thrilled, and at the same time, laugh at the humor and the funny actions of Iris and Gilbert.
Margaret Lockwood gives a perfectly excellent performance as Iris, while Michael Redgrave is amazing as Gilbert. Dame May Whitty, as the kindly, warm, elderly lady Miss Froy, is perfect.
The last scene was really heartwarming. The puzzle and mystery was excellent, and while I didn't think that the solution to the mystery was excellent, it was satisfactory and nice as well. Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this movie. Filled with suspense, thrills and humor, this is a must-watch for all Hitchcock fans.
4 out of 5
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