The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Ethel Lina White (story)
Sidney Gilliat (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 November 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Spies! Playing the game of love - and sudden death!

Plot:

While traveling in continental Europe, a rich young playgirl realizes that an elderly lady seems to have disappeared from the train.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Governess | Dining Car | Double Cross | Concussion

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Margaret Lockwood	...	Iris Henderson
Michael Redgrave	...	Gilbert
Paul Lukas	...	Dr. Hartz
Dame May Whitty	...	Miss Froy
Cecil Parker	...	Mr. Todhunter
Linden Travers	...	'Mrs.' Todhunter
Naunton Wayne	...	Caldicott
Basil Radford	...	Charters
Mary Clare	...	Baroness
Emile Boreo	...	Boris - Hotel Manager
Googie Withers	...	Blanche
Sally Stewart	...	Julie
Philip Leaver	...	Signor Doppo
Selma Vaz Dias	...	Signora Doppo (as Zelma Vas Dias)
Catherine Lacey	...	The Nun (as Catherine Lacy)
Josephine Wilson	...	Madame Kummer
Charles Oliver	...	The Officer
Kathleen Tremaine	...	Anna
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man in London Railway Station (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Ethel Lina White		(story "The Wheel Spins")
Sidney Gilliat		(screenplay) (as Sidney Gilliatt) and
Frank Launder		(screenplay)

Produced by
Edward Black	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Louis Levy		(uncredited)
Charles Williams		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Jack E. Cox		(photography) (as Jack Cox)

Film Editing by
R.E. Dearing

Set Decoration by
Alex Vetchinsky		(settings) (as Vetchinsky)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Ward Baker	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Tom D. Connochie	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Maurice Carter	....	assistant set designer (uncredited)
Albert Jullion	....	assistant set designer (uncredited)
Albert Whitlock	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sydney Wiles	....	sound recordist (as S. Wiles)

Camera and Electrical Department
Leo Harris	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Maurice Oakley	....	location photographer (uncredited)
Jack Parry	....	location photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Alfred Roome	....	cutter

Music Department
Louis Levy	....	musical director
Cecil Milner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Alma Reville	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Gainsborough Pictures (presents) (as GB Pictures)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1938) (UK) (theatrical) (as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Ltd.)
• Gaumont British Picture Corporation of America (1938) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Hal Roach Studios (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Madacy Entertainment (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• United American Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• LS Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Laserlight Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• United Artists (1952) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Excelsior Films  Googie Withers by permission of (as Excelsior Film Productions Ltd.)
• National Board of Review, The  reviewed and classified by

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German | French | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Full Range Recording System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-15 (2006) | USA:Approved (PCA #02144) | South Korea:15 (2003) | USA:Passed | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:A | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Gaumont-British Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

Gainsborough Pictures

Trivia:

The fictitious country where most of the story takes place is named in the movie: in her first scene, Miss Froy says, "Bandrika is one of Europe's few undiscovered corners." The first two stations in the movie are identified by briefly visible signs, and the third in dialog: they are Zolnay, Dravka, and Morsken.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the noisy dancing scene above Lockwood's hotel room, the clarinet is shown with the mouthpiece turned with the reed upwards. Normally the mouthpiece is turned so that the reed is downwards, but in some European folk traditions the clarinet was played with the mouthpiece "upside down".

Quotes:

Iris Henderson: I've no regrets. I've been everywhere and done everything. I've eaten caviar at Cannes, sausage rolls at the dogs. I've played baccarat at Biarritz and darts with the rural dean. What is there left for me but marriage?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Destination Hitchcock: The Making of 'North by Northwest' (2000) (V)

Soundtrack:

Colonel Bogey March

An early view into Hitch's genius

From 1938, The Lady Vanishes is clearly where Hitch was getting comfortable in his trade. Starting slowly, it soon revs up with mystery and intrigue. But I think that was the whole point. A seemingly innocuous day can lead itself into adventure.

Starting in some remote European village, a woman meets a little old lady. Getting on the train the next day, the old lady vanishes without a trace while she is asleep. When she asks about the lady, people say that there was no old lady. The mystery then ensues as our leading lady tries to uncover the plot behind a woman she knows was there.

The main aspect of this movie is the everyday humor that is applied. The two English fellows who are only looking for the latest cricket scores, score themselves some remarkable laughs. Our hero that comes to the leading woman's assistance is funny and charming himself. The time spent at the beginning in the hotel may seem to be off topic, making a viewer wonder where the mystery is, but the point is that the viewer becomes acquainted with the characters and are much more believable to the viewer. Again, I think Hitch was showing us our next door neighbors and how they can rise up against unusually dangerous circumstances. I think my analysis of Hitch would be his championing the moral fiber of everyman. I think that is why Hitchcock films still stand today as some of the best ever made.

This movie receives my major recommendation. Not done yet. I got more to view and review. What fun!