The Lady Vanishes

Movie Information

In Brief: The Lady Vanishes (1938) is not only one of Hitchcock’s best and most completely entertaining films, but it’s the film that launched Hitch on his Hollywood career. Hollywood had taken notice of him with The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) and The 39 Steps (1935), but it was The Lady Vanishes that sealed the deal. It’s not hard to see why. This mystery thriller — with a good bit of comedy content — is just about perfect from every angle. The mystery is clever and well-developed. The characters are engaging and perfectly cast. (It’s hard not to wish that Michael Redgrave — here making his film debut — didn’t play in more movies of this type.) And the film is a veritable treasure trove of both Hitchcock’s wit and his trademark style. It’s the kind of perfectly crafted film that reminds you why you got hooked on movies in the first place.
Score:

Genre: Mystery Thriller
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Cecil Parker
Rated: NR

Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present The Lady Vanishes Friday, June 17, at 8 p.m. at Phil Mechanic Studios, 109 Roberts St., River Arts District (upstairs in the Railroad Library).  Info: 828-273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com

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About Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."

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