The Lady Vanishes

DVD, The Lady Vanishes (1938) film

It had been some years since I first saw this on video, and I was impressed at the time. It's just as witty, suspenseful, and well-crafted on DVD as it was then, with the added bonus of being crisper, the black and white print so refreshing after watching many modern films. It looks stark, but can also be soft and inviting. I had forgotten the whole beginning to the film where the various characters spend a night at a hotel. The story is carried along by the sheer wit and charm, the stereotypical behaviour from the English parts, and the bizarre sequence of events.

At first you can almost begin to believe that knock on the head the heroine receives is causing her to hallucinate. Yet, the little old lady was so real, and we know these characters are lying, what we don't know is why. The modelwork, such as the opening shot, is quite obvious, something not helped by the sharpness retained by DVD, but it's actually very clever because although our eyes tell us this is a model, you can actually see people moving, and it's only the focus that gives the game away.

Full of great lines, a satisfying climax, and a final flourish that leaves us smiling, this is a great old film, and deserves to be seen! It may not have the 'in the moment' perspective and constant action of modern thrillers, such as Bourne, but it has a different kind of tension as the audience is left as confused as the character. There are also sinister feelers sent out, which, although never actually shown, impart a sense of foreboding - the accident victim without a face, wrapped in bandages, is a perfect example. It's amazing that something with so many jokes and so much visual humour can also be so gripping.

****