Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

This is an old one from Alfred Hitchcock that I always wanted to see and I finally had my chance. I'm glad I did because it is quite good and worth seeking out.

Starting in the silent era, Alfred Hitchcock made films in his native England for quite a few years before he was able to transition to making films in Hollywood. The Lady Vanishes is the last one he made in England before he went American, although he did return to England in 1972 to make Frenzy.

By watching some of these old black and white Hitchcock’s, I was able to see some of the genius he displayed before he got into his mannered studio-produced thrillers that had given me less than complete satisfaction with their fussy insistence on perfectly coiffed blonds, back projected action scenes, and big names that did not always deliver as well as some of the stories warranted.

For example, The Lady Vanishes is not going to get any kudos for special effects. They are mostly easy to spot, like the opening scene showing the (model) train buried under an avalanche; however, once the story gets moving these little distractions are soon forgotten as you get absorbed into the story.

The initial scenes show some guests involuntarily staying over in a rural European hotel due to the avalanche. There are three carefree young ladies, a pair of British cricket fans, and a few others including a guy (Michael Redgrave) writing a book on native Central European dances who gets the girls mad with his piping and the hotel staff clumping around to satisfy his desire to see the local dances.

There is also an elderly spinster named Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty) who establishes herself as a bore that will talk to anyone who gives her half a chance. The next day the train has been cleared and the passengers are boarding when one of the girls (Margaret Lockwood) gets hit on the head by a piece of the building falling off. Dazed, Miss Froy aids the lady, who is going to be married, to board and comforts her until she drops off to sleep. When the girl awakens, Miss Froy has disappeared and nobody claims to have seen her. This is where the movie takes off, with the young lady looking for Miss Froy, assisted by the (young, handsome) Michael Redgrave and everybody else feigning never having noticed the old girl.

On the other side, there are sinister characters and the two protagonists ultimately discover the plot that underlies their behavior.

I have to give this movie pretty good marks for storyline, which comes off something like an Agatha Christie story with plenty of hidden motives. However, the execution of the story is a little slow moving and there are quite a few implausible developments, like the pair outwitting professional agents who have the drop on them. You can see where Hitchcock got the idea for Notorious (one of his true masterpieces). Given the weaknesses noted and the fake looking special effects, I have to give The Lady Vanishes three stars, as a good solid film but not much better than average.

The DVD is presented in 1.37:1 theatrical format, in black and white, and running 97 minutes.


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV