20 Spy Movies You Must See Before You Die

Hitchcock's first great film, The 39 Steps, also happens to cling to one of the British master's favourite themes (and biggest fears): an innocent man on the run.

Based on the novel of the same name by John Buchan (though many would argue that this film adaptation is a greater work than the book), The 39 Steps feels remarkably modern for a film made in 1935; Hitchcock's camera placement throughout is masterful, whilst moments of shock and terror rub shoulders effortlessly with moments of slapstick and comedy. At once, it's tense and fun.

From its opening shot this is also an exercise in perfect pacing, as Richard Hannay (played by Robert Donat), accused of a murder he didn't commit, is pursued across the United Kingdom by both the police and a dangerous spy ring. The film's most memorable scene, perhaps, takes place on a train heading to Scotland, in what is essentially the 1935 equivalent of a "massive set-piece."

Then again, the greatest conceit of the film might be the mid-point gimmick that has Donat handcuffed to the story's female lead, played by Madeleine Carroll, which results in all the name-calling and bickering you can imagine from such a scenario. The actors' resulting chemistry is at once the heart and fire of this British classic.