u/Murky_Ability322

From an online daily quiz I do, mostly old movies. I mean, can you imagine any of these other guys as Frank? 😂

Honestly I hadn’t even heard of this one before until
it was mentioned in Donald Spoto’s biog. Its interesting and well made, well worth a watch if you like Hitch movies (what isn’t) but not as filled with suspense as his best.

Anne Baxter (of All About Eve fame) and Karl Malden (of The Streets of San Francisco fame) are great. Montgomery Clift is OK I suppose.

Ultimately a bit frustrating as with a few small changes this could have been excellent. Wondering what other Hitch fans think, or have even heard of it!

I’m doing a deep dive on this movie and came across this superb documentary. A week to shoot the whole scene - 78 camera setups and 52 edits

Long time Hitch fan and have a habit of watching his movies in the summer mostly (the local TV station tended to show them then when I was a kid)

So am starting with the early ones and this gem (no spoilers here) is a wonderful old movie. So charming despite some old fashioned and outdated ways.

I’ve seen this a few times but this time I really noticed the similarities with North By Northwest

SPOILERS AHOY

>!spoiler text here!<

- >!Both heroes are well-dressed, urbane men caught up in espionage they want nothing to do with!<

>!- Both get entangled with a mysterious woman early on who is connected to the danger!<

>!- Both are handcuffed to a woman at some point (literally, in The 39 Steps)!<

>!- Both involve a shadowy enemy organization!<

>!- Both feature the hero being chased simultaneously by villains AND the police!<

>!- Both have a key scene on a train!<

>!- Both climax with a dramatic confrontation involving the leading lady lead in peril!<

>!- The “wrong man” premise is essentially identical!<

&gt;!spoiler text here!<

So NxNW is really 39 Steps gone to Hollywood but it still stands on its own and is for me is still one of his best. A great double bill anyway!