Alfred Hitchcock Week - The 39 Steps
We continue our Alfred Hitchcock series with our Movie of the Week, The 39 Steps.
This 1935 film is a screen adaptation of a novel by John Buchan, The Thirty-nine Steps. Robert Donat portrays Canadian Richard Hannay, who attends a music hall show where meets a girl, Annabelle Smith (portrayed by Lucie Mannheim) who says that she is a spy and is being pursued by foreign agents.
Also in the cast are Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, and John Laurie. Watch also for a cameo appearance by Hitchcock.
Movie of the Week - Kansas City Confidential
Our Movie of the Week for March 17 - 23 is a film noir offering, Kansas City Confidential, directed by Phil Karlson and starring John Payne. This 1952 film was produced by Edward Small.
Joe Rolfe (portrayed by John Payne) is framed for an armored car heist, and goes to Mexico to find the people who framed him.
The cast also includes Coleen Gray, Preston Foster, Neville Brand, Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam, Dona Drake, Mario Siletti, Howard Negley, Carleton Young, Don Orlando, and Ted Ryan.
Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding
Our first Movie of the Week is Royal Wedding, starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell. In this 1951 MGM musical, Astaire and Powell portray a brother and sister dance duo whose travel to London after their show closes in New York.
The movie also stars Peter Lawford, Sarah Churchill, and Keenan Wynn. The film was written by Alan Jay Lerner, directed by Stanley Donen and produced by Arthur Freed, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Nick Castle was the choreographer.
