JOHN BUCHAN NOVEL

Evening Star, Issue 22350, 28 May 1936, Page 1

JOHN BUCHAN NOVEL

1 THIRTY-NINE STEFS ' FOR OCTAGON One of the greatest spy mystery stories ever written was John Buchan’s ‘ The Thirty-nine Steps,’ which will be screening at the Octagon to-morrow, and the author paid graceful tributes to the adapters and of a masterpiece of mystery ih the picture, which is acted by Robert_ Donat and Madeleine Carroll in the principal roles. Donat makes the character of Richard Hannay a man in the best sense of the term—a red-blooded, chivalrous, charming fellow whose sense of humour is never far from the surface and whose love of adventure is in direct proportion to its degree of danger. Miss Carroll as Pamela is wholly delightful. In a part that gives no more than a taste of her quality, Lucy Mannheim shows grqat!,dramatic power; Godfrey Tearle as Professor Jordan gives another. of his-distinctive studies of villainy; John Laurie as a greedy, hypocritical Scotch crofter and Peggy Ashcroft as his young, unhappy wife are splendidly cast. Packed as it is with thrills and suspense, ‘Bulldog Jack.’ the supporting picture, is just as rich in comedy. Jack Hulbert,'defending himself from a massed attack by the gang, calling to his aid only a handful of boomerangs and the stern portion of a suit of war horse’s armour, is delightful. Equally diverting is his toboggan slide on a table down a long spiral But there are many more comedy highlights, to most of which Claude Hulbert, , as _ Algy, brings his priceless fatuity to aid'and abet his brother.