MovieChat Forums > The Lady Vanishes (1938) Discussion > I am still in shock - of how boring this...

I am still in shock - of how boring this movie is

posted 20 years ago by PiranianRose
110 replies | jump to latest

Alright folks. I am a great admirer of Hitch. I have seen quite a few of his classics and all but one have been at least satisfying (most of them were fantastic indeed). Most recently, I tried to watch "Lady Vanishes" because some hail it as his best from the British period, and the premise of a disappearing lady sounded promising. Unfortunately--and I really tried--I couldn't get past the first 30 minutes or so. I tried very hard to not turn it off, but it was impossible. What happened? nothing, absolutely nothing. The plot probably moved an inch forward. The only intriguing thing is that the musician on the street got murdered. Also, I had trouble understanding the English. I turned the volume as loud as my speakers had, but I still couldn't understand what they were saying, and the DVD apparently assumes just because there is English dialog, everyone that understands English should understand it. They forgot how different English from Britain can sound to a Midwestern American brought up in the Orient.

Anyway, I still don't want to completely disregard this film from one of my favorite auteurs. So I am asking you: if I absolutely hated the first 30 minutes of this movie, thinking it is boring as heck, does it get more interesting?

[–] simplemines 12 years ago

And I love the first 30 minutes of this movie. The whole way society worked back then, particularly upper crust British society, is absolutely fascinating to me. The intro half hour gets you into the mood of the movie.

I love seeing this movie in its context, rather than judging it by the much more dumbed down, loud, vulgar, and violent movies of today.

But then, i have imagination and curiosity, both apparently commodities in short supply these days.

[–] mnowl 12 years ago

I watched this for the first time tonight on TCM. Robert Osbourne actually warned the viewers that the opening 20 minutes or so were a little slow but to stick with it. I guess because I started with low expectations for the start of thye film I ended up enjoying it more than maybe I would have otherwise.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] andyk69 11 years ago

This movie is perfect from start to finish, first 30min wha wha what? the humorous way in which the characters are introduced in the hotel is brilliant!
I know is a matter of taste and all that but I am sorry for someone who doesn't enjoy the opening of this film, is hilarious and romantic.
Getting the Criterio bluray soon . :)

I'm not mad, I just been in a very bad mood for the last 14 years

[–] Balthazar-5 11 years ago

They forgot how different English from Britain can sound to a Midwestern American

You clearly have no idea how offensive it is when you demand an American inflection of the English language in British films. I have to endure the crass distortion of the English language across a wide gamut of American cinema. I would not think of complaining, since it is up to the 'auteur' as you would have it (and in Hitchcock's case that is the appropriate term), how he wishes his characters to speak. Would you really believe in an elderly female British spy who went round saying 'Howdy'???
Believe me, the characters speak exactly how the sort of British people who might have been travelling in central Europe at the time would have spoken. You might call it an English accent. But French people do not speak French with a French accent, not German people German with a German accent. Americans, on the other hand speak English with an American accent (and then a regional one after that).

[–] jfegley1 11 years ago

Wow. I am from the U.S.A. and had absolutely no trouble understanding anything anyone said in this movie. Loved it and am looking forward to watching more of the 39 Hitchcock movies I have on dvd.

[–] den09 11 years ago

perfect from start to finish, first 30min wha wha what? the humorous way in which the characters are introduced in the hotel is brilliant!
I know is a matter of taste and all that but I am sorry for someone who doesn't enjoy the opening of this film, is hilarious and romantic.

Absolutely old sport, couldn't agree more, eh what!

[–] drxcreatures 11 years ago

You're ridiculous. You can't review a movie after only seeing the beginning.

http://www.cgonzales.net & http://www.drxcreatures.com

[–] jimbo97-1 11 years ago

I don't know what all the to-do is about. I love Hitchcock and I love watching this one. (I love train mysteries.)

Quit watching after 30 minutes? Why? OK... I quit watching the newest version of THE MUMMY.... TWICE after about 20 minutes.... the digital effects being the whole show.... not entertaining to me at all. And I have no intention to watch the rest of it.

As for THE LADY VANISHES, the characters are introduced, and I most enjoyed watching the two English cricket snobs, their plight with the maid, hanging up the phone when the Englishman on the other end cared nothing about cricket. HA! American sports fans can be just as obnoxious!

I will admit the accents did not bother me because I am deaf and use the Closed Captioning on the TCM presentation. (I know enough about English accents that I "heard" them talking in that fashion as I read the captions.)

Maybe THE 39 STEPS is my favorite in Hitch's English period, but I also like THE LADY VANISHES.

[–] NewtonFigg 11 years ago

I may have seen this movie 20 times in the last 40 years, and I can understand where a younger person might not like it. Like all Hitchcock movies, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through (list on demand). The toy sets are not very realistic, and the story is advanced by people talking, which nowadays is considered boring. I think the 39 Steps is a much better movie, but that too has many scenes that call for the willing suspension of great disbelief.

FYI: Charters and Caldicott are seen to even better advantage in Night Train to Munich, a very Hitchcockian movie directed by Carol Reed.

[–] kairingler 11 years ago

yes it did, quite a matter of fact. and got pretty darn interesting as well, you should have stuck with it.

are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

[–] inaforestdarkanddeep 11 years ago

So glad to see this thread.

I'm watching the film for the first time just now and I am really, really struggling to keep going - and I'm only 15 minutes in. I don't get the humour, and it's so slow.

I can't believe this movie has iconic status, even if it is a Hitchcock (and I usually adore his work) film.

I can only assume there is a point when something "clicks" and the film suddenly becomes amazing, but I fear I'm not going to appreciate it because of how crap the introductory scenes are. What a massive disappointment!

[–] ccs-5 10 years ago

Ditto on the sound quality -- possibly the worst I can recall for any movie. About half of the dialogue was indecipherable...plus no subtitles on my DVD.