... The Lady Vanishes is definitely one of Hitchcock's best (and I would say also the funniest!) from that bygone era and also his last before he went to America. It's always difficult to write a review on a thriller without giving too much away but I'll try.
SYNOPSIS: A lengthy introduction ... Read review
At first glanceThe Lady Vanishesappears to be a frothy, lightweight treat, a testament to ... more
Alfred Hitchcock's nimble touch. This snappy, sophisticated romantic thriller begins innocently enough, as a contingent of eccentric tourists spend the night in a...
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Intrigue and espionage abound when a young woman travelling aboard a trans-continental ... more
express train strikes up an acquaintance with a middle-aged English governess who then disappears. Is the young woman hallucinating or is it something altogether more sinister...?
At first glanceThe Lady Vanishesappears to be a frothy, lightweight treat, a testament to ... more
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 toJamaica Inn), many critics prefer to think of this as his fond farewell to the British Film Industry. --Sean Axmaker
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Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Advantages: Clever banter, vintage Hitchcock, quietly charming Disadvantages: Not for the action-loving, thrill-a-minute seeker
...obsessed with making movies in the comedy /thriller /mystery genre with a distinctive English touch to them. Even after the advent of colour TV, I can totally understand why this film, so rich in humour and class, remains an unforgettable classic to this very day. The Lady Vanishes is definitely one of Hitchcock's best (and I would say also the funniest!) from that bygone era and also his last before he went to America. It's always difficult to write ... ...SYNOPSIS: A lengthy introduction to the characters takes place in a hotel before the set goes onto the train where the mystery begins. Iris is a woman who met an elderly lady by the name of Ms. Froy back at the hotel and takes pleasure in extending their friendship on the train. Unfortunately the lady vanishes into thin air after Iris' nap and everybody denies even seeing such a person! Together with the help of a slightly obnoxious skirt-chaser, ... more
Before Alfred Hitchcock went on to make American films like Psycho, he was obsessed with making movies in the comedy /thriller /mystery genre with a distinctive English touch to them. Even after the advent of colour TV, I can totally understand why this film, so rich in humour and class, remains an unforgettable classic to this very day. The Lady Vanishes is definitely one of Hitchcock's best (and I would say also the funniest!) from that bygone era and also his last before he went to America. It's always difficult to write a review on a thriller without giving too much away but I'll try.
SYNOPSIS: A lengthy introduction to the characters takes place in a hotel before the set goes onto the train where the mystery begins. Iris is a woman who met an elderly lady by the name of Ms. Froy back at the hotel and takes pleasure in extending their friendship on the train. Unfortunately the lady vanishes into thin air after Iris' nap and everybody denies even seeing such a person! Together with the help of a slightly obnoxious skirt-chaser, Gilbert, they investigate the matter further only to find out that many things aren't as it seems on the train and all the characters seem to have something to hide.
CAST: Everyone was perfect. Margaret Lockwood as Iris and Michael Redgrave as the suave Gilbert make a perfect couple. Everything they say to each other is so delightful, it reminds me of When Harry Met Sally or You've Got Mail because the pair always starts off fighting like cats and dogs before eventually falling for each other. Caldicott and Charters, the two cricket-obsessed passengers were brilliantly played by Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford. All the other peripheral characters like the circus family, the nun, the doctor and the bad men were always never short of convincing.
MOST MEMORABLE LINE: Charters: You can't expect to put the two of us up in the maid's room! Hotel Manager: Now don't get excited. I'll remove the maid out.
BEST SCENE: Possibly when the self-involved British duo were at the restaurant, demanding service as if they're kings just because they're British citizens. Hilarious!
IMDB RATING: 8.1/10
MY RATING: 7/10
VERDICT: Even if you're not a fan of black and white films, surely this classic can appeal to you because it's got everything in it and this is something which is very very rare in all films of that age. Go on, give it a try. Meanwhile I'm going to run a search on eBay for the 1979 remake of this with Cybill Shepherd in it.
Advantages: Easy-going on the head. Disadvantages: A little 'twee' for nowadays, but still a good classic.
The Lady Vanishes. What can I say? It's a pretty good film for one of those sleepy rainy Sunday afternoons or cold miserable sick-days!
The film is about a woman named Miss Froy, who evidently, goes missing, and someone she helped out of the goodness of her heart realises she is missing, but the people who should have seen Miss Froy, claim not to have done, and then there also seems to be more to the sweet innocent Miss Froy than meets the eye...
... ...engaging, and the fact that nothing to terrible happens in the film makes it an enjoyable experience for all really as it doesn't weigh on your mind and keep you tensed up!
Although the plot develops quit quickly, still it is worth a look-in because after all Hitchcock turned out some fantastic works, and this, in my opinion is one of them. Go on...see for yourself. ...
duderob1989 25.06.2006 (27.06.2006)
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Advantages: Classic, good cast, some suspense, some comedy. Disadvantages: Old fashioned
thriller but there are a fair few laugh out loud moments. Alfred Hitchcock, as always, is there playing a cameo role.
The LadyVanishes was made in black and white and will appear very dated to many viewers. The steam trains alone give it a period piece feel, as do the ladies fashions. However it has become somewhat of a classic and has a great cast. If you have never watched it before give it a whirl. DVD copies can be purchased quite cheaply and it can be viewed on television from time to time.
(There is a much later version of this film which was made in 1979 and starred Elliott Gould and Cybil Shepherd in the main roles with Angela Lansbury as Miss Froy. However, despite a great cast, this one is not as successful . Much of the appeal of the original film is after all in the stereo-typical English characters that are played ...
Advantages: An enjoyable Hitchcock thriller with a fair bit of comedy Disadvantages: Some might find it dated
about 2.5 minutes of random scene shots from the film which play like a screen show as well as marketing posters of the film and even a few shots of Hitchcock with cast members during filming.
I would be happy to give The LadyVanishes a strong 8 out of 10. It is certainly a very enjoyable thriller with elements of comedy and a bit of romance and it is definitely a film that is staying in my permanent DVD collection. I would hope the film would appeal to all those who enjoy old black and white films although some might find the overt ?British-ness? of some of the characters rather dated.
Of course, I mustn?t forget to mention that there is the cameo appearance of Hitchcock himself in the film which I always enjoy looking out for; no matter how many times I?ve seen one of his films! You might also be interested to know that Hitchcock ...
Advantages: Charming, clever lines, satisfying ending Disadvantages: Not for the impatient action-lover
Before Alfred Hitchcock went on to make American films like Psycho, he was obsessed with making movies in the comedy /thriller /mystery genre with a distinctive English touch to them. Even after the advent of colour TV, I can totally understand why this film, so rich in humour and class, remains an unforgettable classic to this very day. The LadyVanishes is definitely one of Hitchcock's best (and I would say also the funniest!) from that bygone era and also his last before he went to America. It's always difficult to write a review on a thriller without giving too much away but I'll try.
SYNOPSIS: A lengthy introduction to the characters takes place in a hotel before the set goes onto the train where the mystery begins. Iris is a woman who met an elderly lady by the name of Ms. Froy back at the hotel and takes pleasure in extending ...
A Hitchcock comedy-thriller in which two people investigate the disappearance of an old lady from a train, only to discover a plot to pretend she was never on the train in the first place.
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DVD
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WHE EUROPE LIMITED; TOTAL HOME ENTERTAINMENT (THE)
When a young woman on a train meets a charming old lady who promptly disappears, the other passengers deny having seen her, leading the young woman to suspect conspiracy. Hitchcock's final low-budget U.K. production before leaving for Hollywood stands as an extremely deft cocktail of comedy, romance, and suspense.
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