Number 311 on the top 1000 films of all time is Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 mystery thriller 'The Lady Vanishes.'
Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood) is an English tourist returning home from travelling in Europe. She befriends an elderly woman called Miss Froy (May Witty) on the train before drifting off to sleep. When she awakes, Miss Froy has vanished. The fellow passengers don't know where or even who she might be. Iris is convinced something bigger is happening and along with the pompous Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) she begins to investigate.
To say that this film employs the suspension of disbelief would be the understatement of the century. It stretches disbelief to ridiculous lengths. The plot creaks as much as the hokey special effects and cardboard sets. I know that this was the 1930's, but the final shootout was made less thrilling by the melodramatic deaths and tinny explosions/sound effects. And it emerges that Miss Froy was secretly a British spy who had to report vital information in the form of a tune. The only thing more unbelievable was how she escaped from the firefight unharmed.
Having said all this, I did enjoy this film. Yes, the beginning drags on for too long - too much time was spent introducing the characters. But when things did get going, the tension became very high. Just like Iris, I wanted to know where Miss Froy had gone and what was her true identity. Also it was a very funny film with Gilbert's standoffish attitude providing a lot of the comedy. Redgrave played the laughs well.
There were plot holes and loose ends - what happened to the henchman who holds our heroes at gunpoint just when it looks like the day has been saved? Nothing apparently, as they're all fine in the next shot.
Despite this, I did enjoy this film which was one of Hitchcock's earliest efforts. But he started as he meant to go on and it was a great start.
It was an enjoyable film to watch. Endearing, product of a more naive era than ours. Like James says, quite hokey in plot, sets etc.
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