The Thirty-Nine Steps **** (1978, Robert Powell, Karen Dotrice, John Mills, Eric Porter, David Warner, George Baker, Ronald Pickup, Timothy West) – Classic Movie Review 4,491

Director Don Sharp’s extremely entertaining 1978 third film version of John Buchan’s novel The Thirty-Nine Steps finds its purpose in that it is finally a movie that is faithful to the book and its pre-First World War setting.

Director Don Sharp comes up with a ripping yarn that is complementary to the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock classic The 39 Steps, though without however still quite delivering its style and wit. Cool, aloof and reserved, Robert Powell makes a most effective Richard Hannay, the innocent man pursued by the bad guys who think that he knows of their plan to start the First World War. There is a stalwart British cast who give sterling support, the pace is deliciously fast and relentless, and both the mood and tone are exactly right.

Naturally, John Buchan’s classic 1915 espionage novel plot still delivers the goods, and there is a richly enjoyable, well-staged action finale in London, though it is on the 16-storey Gothic clock tower at the eastern end of the Houses of Parliament instead of at the London Palladium Theatre as in the Hitchcock. It’s all very tense and suspenseful in the right spirit.

All in all, you could not expect more from a Seventies remake of a Hitchcock vintage classic.

The Thirty-Nine Steps also stars David Warner as Sir Edmund Appleton, Eric Porter as Chief Superintendent Lomas, Karen Dotrice as Alex Mackenzie, John Mills as Scudder, George Baker as Sir Walter Bullivant, Ronald Pickup as Bayliss, Donald Pickering as Marshall, and Timothy West as Porton.

Also in the cast are Andrew Keir, Robert Flemyng, Miles Anderson, William Squire, Paul McDowell, David Collings, John Normington, John Welch, Edward de Souza, Tony Steedman, John Grieve, Andrew Downie, Donald Bisset, Derek Anders, Oliver Maguire, Joan Henley, Prentiss Hancock, Leo Dolan, James Garbutt, Artro Morris, Robert Gillespie, Raymond Young, Paul Jerricho and Michael Bilton.

It was remade again as a BBC TV movie in 2008 with Rupert Penry-Jones as Hannay.

Kenneth More does nicely in a smooth turn as Richard Hannay in the 1959 The 39 Steps.

Robert Powell (born 1 June 1944) is best known for the title roles in Mahler (1974) and Jesus of Nazareth (1977), and as Richard Hannay in The Thirty Nine Steps (1978).

Powell later reprised the role in the ITV series Hannay, which ran for 13 episodes from 1988 to 1989.

Scottish author John Buchan’s adventure novel The Thirty-Nine Steps was serialized in All-Story Weekly (5 – 12 June 1915) and Blackwood’s Magazine (July – September 1915) before being published in book form in October 1915 by William Blackwood and Sons of Edinburgh. It is the first of Buchan’s five novels featuring Richard Hannay.

The cast are Robert Powell as Richard Hannay, David Warner as Sir Edmund Appleton, Eric Porter as Chief Superintendent Lomas, Karen Dotrice as Alex Mackenzie, John Mills as Scudder, George Baker as Sir Walter Bullivant, Ronald Pickup as Bayliss, Donald Pickering as Marshall, Timothy West as Porton, Miles Anderson as David Hamilton, Andrew Keir as Lord Rohan, Robert Flemyng as Magistrate, William Squire as Harkness, Paul McDowell as McLean, David Collings as Tillotson, John Normington as Fletcher, John Welsh as Lord Bellhane, Edward de Souza as Woodville, Tony Steedman as Admiral, John Grieve as P.C. Forbes, Donald Bisset as Renfrew, Derek Anders as Donald, Oliver Maguire as Marlins, Joan Henley as Lady Nettleship, Prentis Hancock as Perryman, Leo Dolan as Milkman, James Garbutt as Miller, Artro Morris as The Scott, Robert Gillespie as Crombie, Raymond Young as Guide, Paul Jerricho as P.C. Scott, and Michael Bilton as Vicar.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4,491

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