What do you get when you mix a mystery, a thriller, some high intrique, a dash of romance, a few crafty spies, a handful of nefarious Germans, locate them in Great Britain on the eve of WWI circa 1914, and throw in an oubliette? The 39 Steps, of course.
The original version of this film (1935) was shot in black and white, and directed by the infamous Alfred Hitchcock himself. There's been a number of remakes, including a spoof version on Broadway, and now the 1998 Masterpiece Collection version. We watched it on PBS on Sunday night and enjoyed it very much. If you like period films, I'd recommend it for an evening of entertainment.
The ending brings a poignant twist--I won't spoil it for you but to say that it's quite a surprise!
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