The Lady Vanishes

The Lady Vanishes (1938) is Alfred Hitchcock's most inventive British film. A meticulously crafted thriller, it transcends even The 39 Steps in its streamlined plotting and tonal blend. An appealing cast, headed by the radiant Margaret Lockwood, helps too.

Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood) travels to her wedding through Bandrika. While waiting for a train struck in the head and is tended to by Ms. Froy (May Whitty), an elderly English matron. After falling asleep Ms. Froy appears to have vanished, and her fellow passengers claim she never existed. Iris suspects something's afoot, joining Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) to unravel a curious spy plot.

The Lady Vanishes takes cinematic duplicity to an extreme. Iris herself isn't sure if Ms. Froy existed or not, between her injury and everyone contradicting her. But it turns out her passengers have hidden agendas: the Todhunters (Cecil Parker) are hiding an affair, Caldecott and Carothers (Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford) want to reach a cricket match, the Doctor (Paul Lukas) is treating another patient and several passengers are spies. Even after confirming Ms. Froy's identity Iris still needs to uncover other passengers' agendas. Lady delights in baffling both its characters and audience.

Hitchcock incorporates this playful sleight-of-hand into his direction. An extended set piece has Iris and Gilbert fighting the magician Doppo (Philip Lever), who uses a false-bottomed case to escape. Amusingly, Doppo's rabbits watch the fight from a nearby crate! Several double-exposure dream sequences (a train wheel montage a la I Know Where I'm Going!, Ms. Froy's face imposed on other passengers) and miniature sets further enhance the unreal atmosphere.

For all its frivolity Lady has a serious undertone. Unlike many late '30s films it's grounded in pre-WWII tensions, though the only overt acknowledgment is Caldecott and Carothers worrying about England's cricket team. At film's end the disparate passengers must unite against the villains. One character makes a surprise sacrifice while a misguided pacifist naturally eats a bullet. A musical code provides the clever Macguffin.

Margaret Lockwood might be Hitchcock's most endearing heroine. In contrast to the usual femmes fatale, nutcases or confused victims, Lockwood's Iris is pleasingly plucky, shrewd and quick-witted. Michael Redgrave makes a good romantic match. May Whitty makes a strong impression and Paul Lukas excels against type. Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford's doubles-act proved so popular they revived it in a half-dozen films.

The Lady Vanishes is a delicious cinematic confection. Even among Alfred Hitchcock's oeuvre it has few equals in mixing comedy, suspense and romance.