In lieu of the popularity that came about with the publication of John Buchan’s The 39 Steps, there have been various adaptations that seek to refine the classic spy novel, famous among them being Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 version. Alfred Hitchcock sought to take John Buchan’s novel and added flourishes of his directorial style. Those flourishes include themes of alluring female characters, ordinary individuals in extraordinary situations, and institutional failure. In that respect, Hitchcock’s version considerably diverges from that of Buchan’s novel in terms of plot, characterization, and pace. As such, Alfred Hitchcock’s version is a better introduction to the theme of espionage in twentieth-century popular culture due to its emphasis on suspense, …show more content…
If Hitchcock translated most elements of the Richard Hannay character from the novel to film, he would have had at most a boring individual. Richard Hannay in the novel does not have any wit, intelligence, or sheer charisma that abounds in the film version. Through the book, Richard Hannay is a bored English aristocrat that due to him being a neighbor of Scudder allows him to be aptly be given the information that makes him a target. In Hitchcock’s film, Richard Hannay is a Canadian man who was on business in England and came about of the information that makes him a man on the run only due to helping a woman who turned out to be a spy in the midst of a riot occurring in a music hall. In Hitchcock’s version, his class is not highlighted to the degree in which Buchan’s was in regards to his colonial adventures in Rhodesia. Furthermore, Hannay in the novel seems distant and aloof in him just being a capable and wealthy man whereas Hannay in the film is a witty man who has a sense of humor especially when paired with …show more content…
Buchan makes special mention of the fact that his version of Hannay had experience in his military career with codebreaking. However, Hitchcock’s version of Hannay did not have access to such skills or opportunities, and thus he had to utilize demeanor and charisma to glean information out of people. Donat’s Hannay convinces the innkeepers that he and Pamela are a couple which eventually helps them out when the men that are chasing them come to their inn and disclose the information about the conspiracy. Pamela is in position to hear all this and relays it to Hannay which helps them resolve the plot promptly. Whereas, Hannay did not utilize espionage readily to resolve the plot and instead relied on working with other British officials to solve the puzzle of the “39 Steps” which would be more intelligence rather than