I love this movie so much

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

John Buchan's 1915 thriller novel The Thirty-Nine Steps has proved to be a rich ground for filmmakers. From Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 classic to its less stellar 1959 remake and a more recent BBC television movie, Buchan's thriller has been updated and revised time and again. Yet with the exception of the BBC's version, most have chosen to take the bare bones of the novel and create something new out of it. There's an exception to every rule and this 1978 adaptation would prove to be that in returning not just to the original time period of the novel but capturing it in spirit (if not in incident) better than its predecessors.It's perhaps best than the film owes less to Hitchcock and more to Buchan, especially given how the 1959 film turned out. Much of the flavor of the novel is captured here with the notion of a network of agents of a foreign power up to skullduggery and intrigue in the spring of 1914 which draws Richard Hannary, a mining engineer who has spent some years in Africa before coming to London, into a race against time. Though the film does pay homage to Hitchcock's film (and how could it not?), much of the film's incident can be traced to the original novel, if at times in a roundabout kind of way. The film does make additions including the characters of Alex Mackenzie and her fiancé along with some villains and indeed a totally new ending, these don't deviate hugely from what was originally written. The ending, the largest of the changes, is in fact something of an improvement over Buchan's own ending and it's no surprise that it has found some measure of iconic status in its own right. As a result, the film (despite the changes and additions it makes) might well be the most faithful adaptation of the novel we're ever likely to see.That said, there's plenty to recommend the film for besides that. Take Robert Powell, made famous for his roles in Doomwatch and Jesus Of Nazareth, as Buchan's archetypal innocent man on the run Richard Hannay, . Powell was perfect casting has the right amount of charm, intelligence and good looks to be believable in the role of unlikely action hero from the moment he opens his apartment door to the iconic closing sequence. Powell pulls the role off with great panache but also the occasional air of vulnerability, something that sets him apart from other Hannay's both before and after him. Powell though is the tip of the iceberg.The film's cast is a veritable who's who of British acting talent in the late 1970s though not always in large roles. The always excellent David Warner is in fine form as the traitor Sir Sir Edmund Appleton with Donald Pickering and Ronald Pickup superbly bringing his henchmen to life who chase Hannay across the country. Also pursuing Hannay is Eric Porter as Chief Superintendent Lomas while Hannay is aided by Karen Dotrice as Alex with Miles Anderson as her fiancé David Hamilton, all of whom do well even if they are times given limited material to work from. Sir John Mills appears as Scudder, the secret agent who sets invents in motion the events of the film, playing a more likable version of the character than presented in either the original novel or in the subsequent BBC version. The cast is rounded off by notable character actors including George Baker, Timothy West, Andrew Keir, David Collings, and Edward de Souza among others.The film's production values are splendid as well, capturing the pre-war period feel superbly. These range from the sets created by Harry Pottle to the various costumes and locations chosen which all evoke the era or at least what the viewer often thinks of as that era. Indeed that can be said of the entire approach to the film under the direction of veteran director Don Sharp which brings the right tone to the film. Combined together, they create a film that superbly brings the novel to life while also pastiches it. While perhaps overshadowed by Hitchcock's film, this 1978 take on the same source material may very well its equal. From Robert Powell and a superb cast to fine production vales and a script that treats Buchan's novel with respect, it manages to be faintly nostalgic but knowingly so in a sleeker and more modern packaging. It takes a very familiar tale and re-energize it into an engrossing and suspenseful watch. The result is not only a good way to spend 98 minutes or so but a fine example of the thriller genre.

The Thirty Nine Steps is set during 1914 & starts in London late one night as three men discuss a potential threat to world peace & England, retired secret agent Scudder (John Mills) tells Sir Hugh & Lord Harkness (William Squire) about a plan by three Prussian enemy agents to assassinate the Greek prime minister who is on an official visit to London & plunge all of Europe into a war. Soon after the meeting both Hugh & Harkness are murdered & Scudder know's he is next so he ask's his neighbour Richard Hannay (Robert Powell) for help & to shelter him until he can work out the details of the Prussain's plans, collect proof &prevent the start of a World War. However the Prussain agents find Scudder & murder him, Hannay is blamed for the murder & goes on the run to clear his name, follow up Scudder's leads & try to stop the war himself, but no-one seems to want to believe Hannay & Scudder's notebook is missing...This British production was directed by Don Sharp & was the third time that the novel The 39 Steps by John Buchan had been adapted for the silver screen following Alfred Hitchcock's original The 39 Steps (1935) & the remake The 39 Steps (1959), while I have not read the book nor seen Hictchcock's take on it I have seen the 1959 version before & I have to say I much prefer this one & I think it's superior in just about every way although still not perfect by any means. While watching this it's clear that while the general feel of the film is similar & many of the same character's appear the basic story is different & the ending also is very different & thankfully ditches the awful idea of Mr. Memory being an agent for evil & instead has a nice, if somewhat short, little set-piece in & outside of London landmark Big Ben. The two killers chasing Hannay, the meeting & murder of a British agent in his flat, the train journey to Scotland, the bridge dangling scene, the hike across the moors, the attractive female Hannay meets, the police Inspector on Hannay's trail & even a scene in which Hannay has to give a speech in a case of mistaken identity. At an hour & forty odd minutes the pace drops occasionally & maybe this isn't as action packed as some may want but it's a pretty solid story of mystery & enemy agents & assassination plots with good character's (although Alex doesn't seem bothered by the murder of her fiancé at all) although the bad guy Appleton doesn't get a big speech to try & justify what he is doing & the ending is rather abrupt. The script is gripping, the mystery aspects work well enough & there's enough incident to keep one interested throughout. I liked it quite a bit actually.While the 1959 version of The 39 Steps was bright & colourful this one is far more gritty & grey which suits the Victorian period setting very well, the moors actually look like rough terrain rather than pretty fields & the special effects are obviously better this time around as well. The production design is great, the costumes, sets & props all look authentic & add character to the visual style of it, the Big Ben ending feels a little silly as Hannay just decides to dangle hundreds of feet in the air without even thinking about it & the sequence doesn't really lead to anything spectacular. Relying on story & boyish adventure there's no real violence or gore & no profanity so this is one all the family could watch.Filmed on location in London & Scotland. The production values are great & this is a fine looking film. The acting is good from a solid Brisith cast including Powell, David Warner, Sir John Mills & George Baker.The Thirty Nine Steps is a cracking little Saturday afternoon spy adventure film with an attractive period setting & a pretty solid & suspenseful script that goes up & down the country & ends on a lofty set-piece in & outside Big Ben. A good way to pass a couple of hours, you could do a lot worse.

It's hardly fair to compare this to the Hitchcock version (which was made when Buchan was not yet a well-known author). I think the Hitchcock film is the better as a film, although there are a few stodgy moments (with the crofter, for instance), but lots of lovely visual ideas to compensate (the Bridge scene, the missing digit, and the ending). But Hitchcock's is not a filming of Buchan's novel. It's something quite different. The first remake (with Kenneth More) was a remake of the Hitchcock film, not the book. With this version, we were told it would be faithful to the original, but, yes, the ending is stolen from an old Will Hay film (which was very much before its time, with its black humour). So this is not really a remake of the Hitchcock film, but neither is it faithful to Buchan (which I must re-read). But it is enjoyable, the period feel is good, and I personally like Ed Welch's concerto score.

POSSSIBLE Spoilers This movie is awesome. Although I have not seen the original I have heard this one is better. This movie is very enthralling throughout. The best part is the cat & mouse which occupies most of the film. Another good part of the movie is when he comes down the stair drugged up on a wheelchair. I also liked setting of the movie. Seeing Powell ramble through the our countryside was awesome and adds quality to the movie.The acting was very good. I thought Robert Powell was amazing and is one of the most underrated actors ever (cant believe hes down graded himself to Holby City). He was great in the detective's too with Jasper Carrot which is one of my fave shows ever.Very good film and I recommend this for anyone.