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The Lady Vanishes

The Lady Vanishes

1938
Drama, Suspense/Thriller
1h 36m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 67.65% from 2009 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(2009)
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Rated 24 Jan 2009
97
90th
Full of significance and elegance, The Lady Vanishes is a runner-up candidate for best Hitchcockian thriller ever made, and it must be tooken into heavy consideration. With a handful of unspeakably quotable lines of penetrating dialogue, illustrious outcome and mentally keen form of pace, The Lady Vanishes has cemented its spot in the long beginnings and ends of precious cinema.
Rated 20 Feb 2017
80
75th
A light-hearted, nearly jaunty, thriller. Hitchcock flexes his cinematic might, and delivers a sold film with great performances. HOWEVER, it puts a bee in my bonnet that there's a rather large plot hole towards the end of the film. I am not usually one to care about these things, but to not give any spoilers, something happens and is forgotten about only a few moments later. I am currently writing a strongly worded letter to my MP.
Rated 18 Mar 2007
86
76th
The Lady Vanishes is Hitchcock's first great movie and even to this day it stands with his best.
Rated 19 Mar 2011
84
81st
Great mix of humor, suspense, mystery and even action. I loved every character on that train.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
94th
A ripping good thriller that gets better every time I see it. Tense and witty and beautifully constructed, with memorable performances from everyone. I don't care much for the lengthy opening sequence, but otherwise a damn good time.
Rated 24 Apr 2008
4
74th
Hitchcock strikes a perfect balance between suspense and comedy. At first the movie takes its time developing characters, and it does it in a very comedic fashion. When the train gets moving, it picks up and becomes a really fun thriller without losing any of its quick wit. The characters are memorable, and the acting is consistently good.
Rated 19 Aug 2007
85
83rd
The story in this is excellent. I was a really big fan of the characters as well. The plot kept me guessing constantly. I am sure if I were to watch it again, not only would I like it more, but I would also appreciate it more.
Rated 13 Dec 2009
85
76th
A great movie. It was a bit slow to start but, once the first plot turn hits, Hitchock ratchets up the tension at a steady pace. Lockwood and Redgrave are great as the leads, and Radford and Wayne are memorable as the comic relief.
Rated 14 Mar 2014
66
49th
The latter half of the movie is a strong, well-paced thriller. Unfortunately, the first twenty minutes or so are incredibly annoying comedy, and the distance from there to the midway point just marks off the expected beats until the male lead finally acknowledges that the plot's happening. It still averages out to positive, but the script really could've been tightened up. (And is it just me, or is it a really bad idea to start an 'is she crazy' plot with an onscreen murder?)
Rated 17 Dec 2010
78
60th
Starts off really well, with the development of the characters and the scenes between Lockwood and Redgrave are great. But, then the film jumps the shark with ridiculous fight scenes and forced romance. Didn't find this to be as great as I expected.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
85
89th
Clever and entertaining. One of Hitchcock's early true gems.
Rated 04 Dec 2008
9
90th
It felt like watching a student film, with the great director employing scale models, the absence of a score,... Those aren't necessarily bad aspects, "The Lady Vanishes" is in fact an intriguing, lovely thriller and one of his best films.
Rated 10 Feb 2015
4
55th
act 2 is surprisingly unnerving and meta--viewed from an unreliable perspective with a host of amusing international caricatures as audience stand-ins--flaunting and probing its movie-ness. a pertinent approach, given the film's acknowledged proximity to WW2 and the third reich's manipulation of images for propagandistic purposes. the power of cinema's artifices and illusions is highlighted throughout, esp. during a comic set piece in a magician's funhouse, a gleeful nod to trick film tradition.
Rated 24 Nov 2020
79
80th
The Lady Vanishes is a compellingly distinguished hour and a half. The extent in which you become engrossed is testament to the script in its entirety, the way in which the pace slowly builds throughout, never increasing too much too quickly, makes it most palatable and never tedious. The acting I think is mostly of a satisfactory quality, however there was a few scenes where I felt the emotional stress of the situations was not efficiently portrayed. A few loose ends are also never resolved.
Rated 05 Mar 2009
85
88th
The film is very interesting, a mix common of Hitchcook, the suspense, drama and comedy are very good in this classic.
Rated 16 Nov 2010
57
66th
well, the story on the whole is quite silly and predictable, but there's a great fight scene in the middle and a good gag or three.
Rated 23 Feb 2014
88
90th
One of Hitchcock's best, in my opinion, involving a complex and mysterious occurrence on a train and an ever increasing sense of paranoia and distrust as the tangled web of truth unravels. Once the MacGuffin is revealed it's a flurry to finish the movie off before we start dwelling on the implausibilities, and the ending does feel somewhat messy, but in terms of establishing characters and a sense of mystery there a few other films that pull it off as well as this one.
Rated 05 Feb 2007
87
82nd
A dama oculta estreava há 85 anos nos EUA. Taí o Hitchcock que o levou pra Hollywood. Filminho delicioso. Coleção Folha Cine Europeu.
Rated 02 Mar 2008
71
53rd
# 582
Rated 26 May 2008
90
75th
I absolutely loved Michael Redgrave, and this movie would be a surefire masterpiece for me if the opening was shorter.
Rated 22 Dec 2011
90
90th
Enough suspense, enough comedy, and lots of fun. My heart lies with The 39 Steps, but its a fantastic runner up.
Rated 24 Jul 2010
80
91st
Sharply written taut thriller filled equally with suspense and humor. I think it might be Hitchcock's best English film. Its influence on future movies is vast and readily apparent. Absolutely terrific.
Rated 12 Jan 2011
90
80th
Great movie! One of the best of Hitchcock!
Rated 13 May 2015
85
85th
Dunno why everyone says this one starts out slow. I feel it's the last 30 min that does this one in with it's over the top political moralizing and general snoozery. Some just amazing sequences throughout tho. Very funny
Rated 22 Nov 2012
60
33rd
just eh for me
Rated 02 Oct 2010
89
90th
It takes a long time for the plot to kick in, and the scale models look cheesy today, but the plot outweighs the flaws. Even watching it for the first time decades later, the plot twists are unpredictable, the humor holds up, and the climax is a nail-biter. Great example of Hitchcock's amazing plotting ability.
Rated 03 Feb 2012
77
62nd
I had problems with the story - it didn't seem that mysterious or interesting. On the other hand, the humor was enough to keep the film fresh and entertaining.
Rated 21 Dec 2012
86
70th
Outside of the lengthy opening act which has no purpose other than to provide a little backstory, this plot is constructed and carried out to near perfection. The two leads, played by Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave, are both intelligent characters and went about things realistically. The supporting cast is fantastic and all are given time to show depth and complexity. Lockwood and Redgrave also have great chemistry together on screen which ensures a great well-rounded believable film.
Rated 09 Sep 2012
80
80th
Old school. In a good way. Hitch handles the Agatha Christie-like mystery-on-a-train ensemble with elegant ease.
Rated 13 Oct 2011
10
97th
Before moving to Hollywood,Hitchcock made one last masterpiece in Blighty. Much like The 39 Steps,Hitch shows us a glimpse of his geneus. Simply joyful from start to finish.
Rated 29 Nov 2011
81
84th
Even for an older Hitchcock movie, this one is very good. It's a good mystery story, and things really escalate toward the end. Now that I think about it, that Jodie Foster movie Flightplan was pretty similar to this in premise, only that was a little girl, and it was way less well-executed and interesting.
Rated 24 Feb 2016
17
93rd
Star Rating: ★★★★1/2
Rated 07 Nov 2012
89
66th
89.000
Rated 03 Feb 2013
70
45th
What sort of ride would a Hitchcock hitch if a Hitchcock could hitch rides? A cockhitch, sadly..that is to say marriage, for this was the only knot the man could tie, hitched by his cock and pecked by his hen. A proud young cocksparrow whose trains were so very halfcocked they might as well have been Gordian.
Rated 10 Jan 2007
96
96th
A beloved film by the Hitchcock family and myself. Extremely fun and enjoyable. It's a allegory for the appeasement of Hitler...and this gives it much more meaning and substance if you know that. Very funny and entertaining.
Rated 29 Oct 2023
50
9th
...and so does my attention.
Rated 13 Jun 2008
82
74th
Watched it on TV years ago and could hardly hear a word. Just watched it again with subtitles, and it turned out to be hilarious!
Rated 19 Mar 2011
84
91st
Very intense with an amazing plot. Really keeps you guessing. Lovely characters and good acting.
Rated 28 Apr 2012
2
21st
One of the few movies I've seen that is loved by nearly everyone where literally nothing happens in the first 30 minutes. First 30 are so goddamn bad. The british accents are often difficult to understand which is frustrating as hell, get some subtitles. The film also relies way too heavily on ridiculous coincidences that are often unbelievable but mainly just lazy. I also expect my Hitchcock films to have some sort of pace, this one was about as slow as they come. Pretty disappointing.
Rated 26 Feb 2009
94
89th
Terrific early Hitchcock. The earliest of his that I have seen that I totally enjoyed. Great plot elements. Technical advancements also added to the effectiveness of this film. A must for any Hitchcock fan, or any fan of suspense films. Big thumbs up!
Rated 21 Oct 2013
6
83rd
very tight stuff from hitchcock, which is helped a lot by restricting himself in terms of set and scope. also his funniest, though that isn't much of an achievement. pretty nice.
Rated 26 Sep 2013
83
93rd
Easily one of Hitchock's best movies. Fast paced, suspenseful, and - unlike anything I've seen from him - hilarious. The humor, much of which satirizing Hitch's own ethnicity, hasn't aged one bit and is even bitingly political and relevant to its time. I laughed out loud and went back to biting my nails.
Rated 26 Oct 2009
95
93rd
Clever and fun once they get on the train, although the glib tone prevents it from really being "suspenseful."
Rated 30 Nov 2011
78
56th
#441
Rated 21 Jul 2013
75
67th
gizem, otel, otelde zorunlu kalmak (identity), kaza (basa bir sey düsmesi), tren, yolculuk, kayip, ajan (finalde), orta avrupa, ingilterei fanatizm (düsen cig yüzünden bir otelde mahsur kalan yolcular ertesi gün trenle yola cikarlar. yolcular arasinda Iris Henderson'da vardir. İngiltere de evlenecektir. Tren'e binmeden önce basina bir saksi düser. Ve yasli kadin Miss Froy kadina eslik eder. Yalniz Iris ikinci uyanisinda Iris'i bulamaz ayni kompartimandaki illüzyonist aile öyle biri olmadigi
Rated 19 Dec 2008
78
56th
431
Rated 04 Feb 2007
80
43rd
Too much time spent on exposition, and the ending is a little too tidy, and there are a few too many moments that require suspension of disbelief, but, overall, masterful direction makes an otherwise complex plot pretty easy to follow
Rated 18 Jan 2009
85
71st
The funniest movie Hitchcock ever made and exciting as hell to boot.
Rated 04 Jan 2008
78
49th
Good classic drama mystery. Nothing too taxing and typically plummy accents but a decent plot and storyline. Sound acting and a few surprises along the way. Great vintage black and white thriller. One for a Sunday afternoon.
Rated 25 Feb 2011
82
66th
Early Hitchcock develops into a fun mystery/thriller, but takes too long getting started. Whitty is wonderful as the Lady of the title; Lockwood one-note as heroine. Redgrave is terrific as Errol Flynn-like hero, and supporting bits by Radford and Wayne as two dithering Englishman add colour to proceedings. Many Hitch 'touches' are evident (the name on the window, the Lady's secret as MacGuffin etc.) but film is somewhat dated, and problems with pacing stop it from being a complete success.
Rated 31 Jan 2009
54
53rd
a great set of characters, especially the two leads. the first act isn't too drawn out, it does a great job setting up the characters in a funny and enjoyable way. a delightful watch
Rated 19 Apr 2010
89
82nd
Good story, well done cinematography. It's interesting to watch the combination of a thriller with a comedy which is not popular nowadays. It's another example, why his movies will always be loved.
Rated 10 Mar 2011
86
88th
One fun time. The use of limited locations is brilliant, and certainly had an influence on later suspense films, including some of Hitchcock's own. Quite funny too.
Rated 10 Mar 2014
80
99th
This is one of the funnier Alfred Hitchcock films and up there with his best British work of the 30s. The pacing so different. Taking it's time for a seemingly irrelevant opening portion other then to get to know some of the people and get entertained with slapstick and naughtiness before the suspense elements slowly starts taking over when the train start rolling. This simply a pleasurable film which plays, entertains and gets the audience involved with it's little tricks on the viewer.
Rated 25 Jul 2013
95
84th
Great early Hitchcock.
Rated 25 Nov 2007
70
62nd
Good
Rated 27 Jun 2010
80
81st
watched: 2010, 2013, 2021
Rated 03 Apr 2017
75
56th
A lot of the humour in the first act fell flat for me leading to it dragging a bit (this is probably not helped by the fact that I found the two cricket fan characters low-key irritating throughout), but from the moment the mystery kicks in the film is for the most part electrifying and a delightful romp.
Rated 23 Feb 2012
76
68th
Most people would say that 30's Hitchcock is not really worth revisiting. I decidedly beg to differ. Here old Hitch shows us a lot of what he is capable of before he wash more or less shoehorned into the boxes we associate him with now. First and foremost he is outright funny, not in his usual sly way, but plain and simply funny. And who would have thought, but it suits him excellently.
Rated 18 Feb 2009
4
71st
"...strong characters and important details."
Rated 08 Apr 2011
90
86th
Delivered with conviction and comedy, Hitchcock's thriller-cum-treatise on British apathy in the face of war is generally fantastic. Great performances abound (particularly Redgrave, who is a hoot) and the film's unexpected political bite makes its riveting thriller storyline all the more interesting.
Rated 08 Apr 2012
84
75th
I personally didn't mind the lengthy opening. Since I didn't know where the story was going, I didn't even realize it was an "opening." I enjoyed all the performances. I enjoyed the story, the dialog, the comedy, the suspense... everything really. I even enjoyed the cheesy miniatures. Just an all around entertaining thriller that I look forward to revisiting.
Rated 21 Feb 2007
70
82nd
Excellent film.
Rated 21 Sep 2009
84
65th
This is one of Alfred Hitchcock's later British films and one of the better one at that. The story is easy to follow and like in any of Hitchcock's film, keep you guessing. I thought Margaret Lockwood and Sir Michael Redgrave were a good pairing and this film doesn't get brought up enough when Hitchcock's name is mentioned.
Rated 06 Aug 2013
63
84th
Very Hitchcock. Starts off poorly, but parts are mesmerizing and full of energy.
Rated 09 Nov 2016
8
92nd
Thoroughly entertaining, for all the classic Hitchcock touches, witty dialogue and good old fashioned English values!
Rated 12 Dec 2006
90
88th
Wanders a bit aimlessly in the first act and takes far too long to get to the plot, but when it finally does, it's thrilling... and funny!
Rated 25 Nov 2014
3
65th
A slow start and an rather unsatisfying ending, but the mystery in the middle was quite delightful. Pardon my formal language, but the two cricket chaps made me do it. - Good
Rated 19 Mar 2014
86
78th
excellent stroy telling and unbelievable action scenes for a 1938 movie
Rated 13 Apr 2014
80
75th
Doesn't have a patch on Hitchcock's later films, but the man is incapable of making a bad movie. What makes this film special is its characterization - every person in this film is human, with both virtues and flaws, and (minus the meet cute in the hotel) everyone acts realistically. I also genuinely liked the titular Lady. I can't get into mystery stories where the victim is someone unlikable. If I had one complaint though, the pacing is awful. Way too much time spent in the hotel.
Rated 14 Jan 2010
81
62nd
381
Rated 17 Aug 2011
65
42nd
"The Lady Vanishes" is for the most part a witty, brisk and entertainingly suspenseful thrill ride. Although Lockwood is unremarkably bland, Redgrave's enjoyable performance as well as Hitchcock's typically sharp direction keep things breezy and enjoyable. Unfortunately, the film is brought down by a ridiculously implausible and politically heavy-handed conclusion that relies too much on coincidence and a stock of well-worn clichés. It's still a fun ride, but the ending was a big disappointment
Rated 13 Jun 2012
1
0th
Is it bad that I enjoy this more than Vertigo and Rear Window combined? Maybe. Score is not a grade.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
40th
Too much screwball-type stuff for the content.
Rated 23 Oct 2012
83
87th
Not nearly as good as I remembered, but the enjoyment that the first viewing provided some years ago weighs in favorably on the overall regard. Works out mystery, suspense and thriller so effectively that the numerous minor flaws can be overlooked. Something charming about its unserious character as well, which might have worked against it.
Rated 20 Mar 2021
90
80th
Viewed March 15, 2021.
Rated 09 Apr 2009
100
93rd
The disappearing lady trick brilliantly refurbished by Hitchcock and his screenwriters, who even get away with a horrid model shot at the beginning. Superb, suspenseful, brilliantly funny, meticulously detailed entertainment.
Rated 07 Jan 2010
70
66th
classic Hitchcock, with an Agatha Christy feel.
Rated 29 Feb 2012
65
60th
Hitchcock takes his time establishing the setting and introducing the characters, but it's well-written and funny enough not to get boring. Redgrave and Lockwood work well together (I loved the scene with the Sherlock Holmes props) but the mystery element of the film is kinda clumsy and the pre-War paranoia of anyone with a funny accent is a bit heavy-handed. It sits nicely alongside Hitch's other British films as a fun adventure film, but lacks the depth of his later Hollywood greats.
Rated 08 Oct 2016
82
53rd
"The Lady Vanishes" has so much promise: a likable cast, a great folk tale as a source, and the master himself Alfred Hitchcock at the helm. The movie has a slow start, establishing its ensemble players, and picks up in the middle once the conflict comes in. The mystery unravels how you hope it would in a Hitchcock film: you are kept in uncertainty for a while but then are let in on the secret little by little, often before the characters. It's got funny moments but I expected more from the end.
Rated 26 Jan 2010
87
75th
A very entertaining early Hitchcock film.
Rated 02 Feb 2012
65
54th
It's a decent thriller, with some romance and comedy thrown in. I like the mystery, but it was solved too quickly and the ending became a bit silly and convoluted, I thought. Still, it was enjoyable.
Rated 20 Dec 2013
97
92nd
One of Alfred Hitchcock's last British films, this glamorous thriller provides an early glimpse of the director at his most stylishly entertaining.
Rated 13 Feb 2016
78
58th
While there was some great characterization of all involved parties, Hitchcock's attempts at screwball-esque romantic comedy fell flat and wasn't particularly funny (Charters and Caldicott however, were wonderful and I could watch them banter for days.) The Suspense elements were done better, but the narrative, especially the climax, ended up relying on too many coincidences and unclear motivations to be entirely believable.
Rated 12 Oct 2010
97
94th
one of the greats. Remarkably cohesive blend of action, comedy, and romance.
Rated 11 Aug 2014
90
81st
The Lady Vanishes is a perfect entertainment. It is pitch perfect as a thriller with its tongue persistently in its cheek. During the climactic scene wherein the train, in which most of the story takes place, is diverted to a sidetrack and a shootout ensues, we are in suspense yet it gets away with tremendous laughs delivered by a wry and silly sense of humor.
Rated 10 Jun 2011
75
68th
The Lady Vanishes starts really slowly, but gets quite good as soon as people get to the train station. Not the most suspenseful movie but entertaining and a must if you want to watch every Hitchcock film.
Rated 03 Oct 2011
60
22nd
supposedly a Classic. not in my mind.
Rated 25 Dec 2010
89
89th
89.250
Rated 24 Jan 2010
92
79th
Really, really good. On my copy, the sound is lacking, but to me, this, along with The 39 Steps, is Hitchcock really coming into his own as a director. Tense, humorous, smart, and classy...great flick.
Rated 19 Dec 2016
70
43rd
A delightfully early Hitchcock that combines suspense and humor. It does have a few faults. The whole ordeal in the hotel takes too long as an introduction. The other passengers are caricatures of villains, taking out any doubt about what's happening.
Rated 11 Sep 2008
96
96th
Pretty much a perfect film - subversive comedic brilliance, with some suspense thrown in to make it even better.
Rated 09 Sep 2010
70
53rd
I would consider giving "80" if I rated this film as a black comedy, but i didn't.
Rated 17 Feb 2018
70
53rd
Charters: "I repeat we were deep in conversation. We were discussing cricket."
Rated 07 Jun 2018
8
81st
The lazily paced opening act kept me waiting for the thriller part to come, but then I realized it was actually super funny (see C+C at dinner with Miss Froy) and it ended up setting up the ensemble cast of characters perfectly for the uniquely comedic thriller to follow (see Caldicott during the gun fight: "We'll never get to the match now"), with the witty banter of Gilbert and Iris carrying us breezily through the engaging mystery right to its ending that hits all the right (piano) notes.
Rated 04 Feb 2019
85
90th
Filmed with a masterful sense of claustrophobia throughout, juggles an ensemble cast perfectly, but above all, this was just really damn funny. I went to Cambridge!
Rated 01 Mar 2019
91
84th
91.00
Rated 21 Aug 2019
60
46th
Thriller/comedy which is a bit short on both the suspense and the laughs. Not to say that there aren't genuinely good plot points and some decent jokes, but it does fall between two chairs.
Rated 01 Sep 2019
70
56th
bad foreigner hide good english lady
Rated 28 Mar 2020
78
72nd
78.4

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