The Lady Vanishes
Seen it?1938 | 96 min | Mystery, Thriller
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
Critics loved it (98% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved The Man Who Knew Too Much or Foreign Correspondent, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 36 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1938: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel in a fictional European country, young Iris befriends elderly Miss Froy. When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
98% on Rotten Tomatoes, 98 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.4 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
1 win and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a solid audience
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 158K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing
Trailer
More like this
The Man Who Knew Too Much Saturday SpecialAlso from director Alfred Hitchcock: a spy thriller, and a Saturday Special.
Foreign Correspondent
Friday Night FlickAlso from director Alfred Hitchcock: a critically acclaimed conspiracy thriller that fewer people know today.
Three Days of the Condor Saturday SpecialAnother spy thriller, and a Saturday Special.
Charade Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed spy mystery.
The Amateur
Sunday Safe BetAnother spy thriller, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
- Margaret LockwoodIris Matilda Henderson
- Michael RedgraveGilbert Redman
- Paul LukasDr. Hartz
- May WhittyMiss Froy
- Basil RadfordCharters
- Naunton WayneCaldicott
- Cecil ParkerEric Todhunter
- Linden Travers'Mrs.' Margaret Todhunter
- Mary ClareBaroness Isabel Nisatona
- Emile BoreoBoris the Hotel Manager