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 The Lady Vanishes (DVD)
Description: Genre: Crime & Thriller / Theatrical Release: 1938 / Director: Alfred Hitchcock / Actors: Margaret Lockwood, Googie ... more  The Lady Vanishes (DVD) ... Withers ... / DVD released 11 August, 2003 at ITV DVD / Features of the DVD: Black & White, PAL / At first glance The Lady Vanishes appears to be a frothy, lightweight treat; a testament to Alfred Hitchcock's nimble touch. This snappy, sophisticated romantic thriller begins innocently enough, as a contingent of eccentric tourists spend the night in a picture-postcard village inn nestled in the Swiss Alps before setting off on the train the next morning. In a wonderfully Hitchcockian twist, on meeting, cute, attractive young Iris (Margaret Lockwood) clashes with brash music student Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) when his nocturnal concerts give her no peace. She gets him kicked out of his room, so he barges in on hers. True love is inevitable, but not before they are both plunged into an international conspiracy. The next day on the train, kindly old Mrs Froy (Dame May Whitty) vanishes from her train car without a trace and the once quarrelsome couple unite to search the train and uncover a dastardly plot. No one is as he or she seems, but sorting out the villains from the merely mysterious is a challenge in itself, as our innocents abroad face resistance from the entire passenger list. Hitchcock effortlessly navigates this vivid thriller from light comedy to high tension and back again, creating one of his most enchanting and entertaining mysteries. Though this wasn't his final British film before departing for Hollywood (that honour goes to Jamaica Inn), many critics prefer to think of this as his fond farewell to the British Film Industry. --Sean AxmakerNewest Review: ... Lockwood, Iris, who I suppose is what would be termed a wild child these days. The train resumes it's journey the next day ... more ... and we see more of the passengers. As well as Iris and Gilbert, these consist of:-
A couple of frumpy guys who are 'typically British' and talk of nothing but cricket. Nauton Wayne and Basil Radford played these two men and they are seen together in similar roles, in a few films after this.
An elderly governess, Miss Froy, who, having worked abroad for many years, is returning to England.
A business man and his mistress.
The train picks up a doctor and a couple of nuns at a station. These are accompanying a sick patie...more |
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The Lady Vanishes (DVD): Where'd she go? (547 words)
by eiley123 - written on 24.12.07 (Very useful, 39 readings)
Rating:
The original Lady Vanishes was released in 1938 and directed by the late, great Alfred Hitchcock. The film is set in a fictional country just prior to the Second World War. This country has many similarities to Austria, Switzerland and Germany. The Lady Vanishes is one of those thrillers which has elements of comedy amongst the tension. We are introduced to the main characters, who are all travelling on a long train journey, as they are held up due to an avalanche. As they stay overnight at a local hotel we get to meet the main players. A young Michael Redgrave plays the male lead Gilbert, who is a somewhat eccentric English Gentleman.The female lead is taken ...
