‘Masterpiece’ British thriller is ‘one of the best films ever made’ and streaming on BBC | Films | Entertainment

It also holds an impressive 98% Tomatometer score and an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Those who have seen it describe it as a masterpiece that they couldn’t stop watching. It also happens to be directed by one of the most famous filmmakers Britain has ever produced.

The movie stars Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave and follows a young English tourist travelling by train through continental Europe.

During the journey, the woman notices that an elderly fellow passenger suddenly disappears.

When she raises the alarm, the other passengers claim they have never seen the missing woman.

Determined to uncover the truth, she teams up with a musicologist named Gilbert Redman as they search the train for clues and try to solve the mystery.

The screenplay was written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, based on the 1936 novel The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White.

Filming took place at Gainsborough Studios in Islington, London, and the film became one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous British productions.

When it was first released in 1938, The Lady Vanishes proved hugely successful and became the most successful British film of its time.

The success also helped bring Hitchcock to the attention of Hollywood producers, eventually leading to his move to the United States.

Over the years the film has continued to receive strong recognition. The British Film Institute ranked it as the 35th best British film of the 20th century, while a 2017 Time Out poll of film professionals placed it among the best British films ever made.

Viewers have also praised the movie in reviews on IMDb.

One person said: “The best British thriller ever made. It’s a masterpiece and watching it is a one-of-a-kind experience.”

Another added: “One of the best films ever made. Classic movies just don’t get any better than this! A cracking plot, sparkling dialogue, great characters and sublime direction make The Lady Vanishes an all-time must see.”

A third wrote: “Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes isn’t just one of his enduring masterpieces but possibly the greatest comedy-thriller ever made.”

Someone else commented: “The Lady Vanishes is the perfect entertainment. It is pitch perfect as a thriller with its tongue persistently in its cheek. Hitchcock at his best!”