THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS

UK, 1978, 102 minutes, Colour.
Robert Powell, David Warner, Karen Dotrice, John Mills, Eric Porter, George Baker, Timothy West.
Directed by Don Sharp.

John Buchan's popular classic has had Hitchcock/Donat ('thirties) and Kenneth More ('fifties) treatment. For contemporary audiences, the emphasis is on period: the look and feel of 1914 England. it is also in the old British tradition of film-making, quietly competent and tense, assassinations, dastardly Prussian plots and upright John Mills trying to warn complacent politicians. And with Robert Powell's Hannay's stiff upper lip and strong right arm saving the country. The chase is convincing (Hannay has strong wits and legs) and the baddies, led by David Warner, particularly Menacing and ruthless. Unfortunately, Mister Memory has gone but there is the most far-fetchedly tense finale, literally on Big Ben, to climax everything.

1. The appeal of this classic story? The plot, issues, hero, adventures, patriotism, types?

2. The influence of the film tradition? Hitchcock and his classic treatment of the 'thirties? The remake of the 'fifties? The highlights and their inclusion or non-inclusion? e.g. the farm sequence in Hitchcock's version, Mister Memory? The contribution of the 'Big Ben' climax in this film?

3. The title, its illustration during the credits? The code meaning? Tone, expectations, adventure?

4. The importance of atmosphere for this version? Colour, London and England in 1914, Parliament, Big Ben, the streets and houses of London, the countryside, by train and car and air? Scotland? The Big Ben and Thames climax? The delight in nostalgia and re-creating the period? An authentic atmosphere for this kind of story? The contribution of the score and its atmosphere?

5. The political background: the Prussians and their infiltration in England, England and its preparation for the war? Scutter and his investigations and warnings, the sleepers awaking, the assassinations? Appleton and his infiltration? The assassins and their acceptance in society and adapting to England? The impact of these stories of World War One and 1914 in the late 'seventies? Historical interest?

6. Scutter and his impact, the opening, his pursuit especially after the assassinations? His anxiety, packing, decision to go to Hannay? Telling his story, the gun, Kate sleeping, escaping death? The empty gun? Posting the notebook? The suddenness of his death? The nuns screaming? His continued presence throughout the film and the importance of his notebook?

7. Hannay as hero? Robert Powell's style and presence? South African background -mines, English, German? The decision to go to Scotland? Providing a situation for adventure? His apprehension of the various clues? Sheltering Scutter and emptying the gun? Being present at his death? The implications and accusations? The continued escaping?

8. The presence of the police, the interrogation, the pursuit? The aspects of the manhunt presented? The proving of the innocence but the decision to make out that he was still being pursued? The role of the police in defusing the bomb? The character of the Inspector?

9. The background of the politicians and the issues of war? The substitution of a pier and the repercussions especially for Navy, Army, Intelligence?

10. The confrontation of Hannay and Appleton? The character of Appleton and his presence in England, his decisions, his influence over the two assassins? Audience response to his stabbing the politician in the street? The spectacular kidnapping of Hannay, the interrogation and imprisonment, letting him escape, the incidents at the railway station?

11. Hannay's ingenuity in escaping, taking the place of the parson, escape in the train and pulling the cord, hiding on the bridge, the pursuit over the fields? His background of hunting in Africa? The tramp and his clothes? The assassination of the gamekeeper? The continued moving through the fields?

12. The introduction of the shooting party, Hannay telling his story, the fascination of Miss Mackenzie and the romantic interest? Her engagement to David? His continued help? The escape, the bicycle ride and the plane pursuit, the political rally and his double talk, the presence of the assassins? The return to the house and David's death? The sanatorium scenes and his inability, summoning the attendant, the wheelchair incident?

13. Appleton and his presence at the sanatorium ? The lengths to which he would go?

14. Hannay helping the Inspector? The decoder, the thirty-nine steps? The kidnapping of the politician and Miss Mackenzie, the elements of time?

15. The build-up to the Big Ben sequence - the political situation, the constant focus on the time. Big Ben itself, Hannay's decision to confront the assassins, his understanding what was going on, going out on Big Ben and holding the hand? How far-fetched, how authentic? The people watching and the audience sharing this? The fights, deaths, the rescue of Hannay?

16. The rescue of Miss Mackenzie and the politician - England saved?

17. Characters developed for this kind of action adventure, British types, tradition and the traditional presentation, patriotic values - and their perennial appeal?