The 39 Steps (#56)

A heart-racing spy story by Alfred Hitchcock,The 39 Stepsfollows Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) as he stumbles upon a conspiracy that thrusts him into a hectic chase across the Scottish moorsa chase in which he is both the pursuer and the pursuedas well as into an unexpected romance with the cool Pamela (Madeline Carroll). Adapted from a novel by John Buchan, this classic wrong-man thriller from the Master of Suspense anticipates the directors most famous works (especiallyNorth by Northwest), and remains one of his cleverest and most entertaining films.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
• Audio commentary by Alfred Hitchcock scholar Marian Keane
• Hitchcock: The Early Years(2000), a British documentary covering the directors prewar career
• Original footage from British broadcaster Mike Scotts 1966 television interview with Hitchcock
• Complete broadcast of the 1937Lux Radio Theatreadaptation, starring Ida Lupino and Robert Montgomery
• New visual essay by Hitchcock scholar Leonard Leff
• Audio excerpts from Franois Truffauts 1962 interviews with Hitchcock
• Original production design drawings
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: A new essay by film critic David Cairns