The 39 Steps

I actually preferred this to the original, which I think is a little bit "a product of its time" in places, but I'm sure many will disagree. Rupert Penry-Jones is well cast as Hanay and Lydia Leonard is similarly good as the foil to his quips, who gets caught up alongside him. Apart from Hanay, there are a lot of new characters compred to the 1935 version and, having not read the novel of the same name, I'm not sure which is more accurate - though I presume the 1935 film. That said, I think the modernisation is done sympathetically considering it remains set in the pre-World War I setting. The film moves along at a decent pace but [spoiler]I'm not sure the romance was entirely necessary. It didn't get in the way for the most part, that is right up until the cheesy "after this I'm going to woo you" then _GUNSHOT_ scene. It was a contrivance that she appeared to die but, oh boy, it was _super_ contrived / very Hollywood that Lydia somehow survived to reappear for the final scene[/spoiler]. This final hiccup aside, I thought this was great fun.