The Lady Vanishes - Criterion Collection (1938)

Where is Freud, or Fraud, or...

This interesting remake of Jodie Foster's "Flightplan"... sorry, kidding. Hitchcock greatness is easy to spot in this 1938 comedy thriller. It starts with what seems a gathering of all European nations in an hotel somewhere at the foot of the mountains, with people speaking languages as if they were in Babel after the fall. Nobody understands entirely each other, and if they act nice, egoism surface when they must sacrifice an interest for somebody else. So, when a lady friend of our heroine disappears inside a train in movement, nobody wants to admit it. It reaches a point when we are not entirely sure the lady in question even exists. The year is 1938, and spies with obscure plans seems to roam the entire train, which stands for Europe. If at the end the film seems quaint, outdated, all the motives of the characters are explained, and what is more important, they make a sense, a characteristic lost in "Flightplan". Add to that a palpable chemistry between the three main characters, smartly portrayed. Personally I think that the comedy holds better in this film that the suspense, but this opinion must not deter you from watching it. July 23, 2008

Thumbs up for "The Lady Vanishes"

Terrific movie from one of the most talented directors ever. A must see for anyone who likes mysteries--or just good movies! July 17, 2008

A fine quality print at last

The Lady Vanishes has been a favourite film of mine for many years, but apart from late night television screenings the only previous copies that were available ranged from appalling to average in quality.

This new Criterion release is excellent, and a good deal of trouble has been taken with cleaning the print and preparing the new transfer. The image is crisp, with a better range of tone, particularly in the dark grey. The picture is clearer overall, and the camera shake that appeared on most previous transfers has been removed - great work!

The sound is also clear and well restored, and the extra features are interesting and worth having.

Criterion releases are usually very good, although on occasion they have not been as good as versions offered by other publishers. In this case, however, they have done an outstanding job. March 29, 2008

LADY HAS NOT VANISHED - Video improvement

THE LADY VANISHES - new Criterion DVD - is a notable improvement in sharpness and contrast over Criterion's previous edition. Even if you have the old one, the new edition is worth the upgrade. If you are new to pre-American Hitchcock, this film is your best introduction. If you are inclined to purchase a cheaper version of the same film, be warned: any public domain editions are distinctly inferior. December 22, 2007

Classic Hitchcock at his wittiest.

A classic Hitchcock mystery thriller, lightened considerably by abundant humorous situations and characters, like the parochial British gentlemen who spend the entire movie trying to find out English cricket scores while remaining oblivious to the growing worry of an unsolved disappearance. A great train setting, a charming and plucky elderly woman and a younger, appealing heroine who is sure the elderly lady has been lost from the train, despite no one else remembering her at all. Have a fun ride with this one. Sly little bits of flirtatious male-female situations add fun to the very typical plot heavies and heroes. December 19, 2007

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