The Lady Vanishes

(1939)

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| Film | United Kingdom | B&W | 1h 36min |
A
| Stars: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Dame May Whitty | Director: Alfred Hitchcock

En route back to England by train from Switzerland, an old lady disappears and two young people investigate

Intrigue, espionage and the effects on the lives and futures of passengers aboard a Trans-Continental Express emerge when a girl traveller returning from a holiday strikes up an acquaintance with a middle-aged English governess.

During the journey she mysteriously disappears from her compartment. The girl, seeking an explanation for the disappearance, is accused of hallucinating and is nearly convinced that her new friend does not exist. However, further enquiries made among the passengers reveal the curious behaviour of a group of foreign government agents who are also travelling as passengers.

Spies! Playing the game of love – and sudden death!

Cast

(18)
Margaret Lockwood promotional headshot for Jassy, c. 1947, autographed ‘Sincerely’ by the actress
Iris Matilda Henderson
British actor Michael Redgrave in a moustachioed publicity photograph
Gilbert
Dame May Whitty
Miss Froy
Paul Lukas
Dr Hartz
British actor, Basil Radford, as Captain Paul Waggett in Whisky Galore! (1949)
Charters
Naunton Wayne, well-known British actor who plays the role of Leslie, one of the club friends of of Henry Garnet (Basil Radford) in ‘The Facts of Life’, one of the four Somerset Maugham stories comprising ‘Quartet’, Sydney Box’s new production for Gainsborough Pictures
Caldicott
British actor Cecil Parker wears a suit, tie and pocket square
Mr Todhunter
Signed photograph of British actress, Linden Travers (1)
‘Mrs’ Todhunter
Mary Clare
Baroness
Emile Boreo
Hotel Manager
Publicity photo of British actress Googie Withers
Blanche
Sally Stewart
Julie
Philip Leaver
Signor Doppo
Selma Vaz Dias
Signora Doppo
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (30) featuring Catherine Lacey (as The Nun)
The Nun
Josephine Wilson
Madame Kummer
Charles Oliver
The Officer
Kathleen Tremaine
Anna
+ Show full cast (8 more)

Film clips

(2)
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938). En route back to England by train from Switzerland, an old lady disappears and two young people investigate.

The Lady Vanishes (1938) opening credits

Date published

Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938). En route back to England by train from Switzerland, an old lady disappears and two young people investigate.

Margaret Lockwood, Zelma Vas Dias and Philip Leaver in a film clip from The Lady Vanishes

The lady vanishes from the train

Date published

Margaret Lockwood, Zelma Vas Dias and Philip Leaver in a film clip from The Lady Vanishes.

News

(4)
Scene from The Classic Thriller Theatre Company’s 2019 production of The Lady Vanishes. Features Juliet Mills as Miss Froy

The Lady Vanishes stage play on tour in 2019 with Juliet Mills

Date posted

The Classic Thriller Theatre Company presents a new stage adaptation of the 1938 film, The Lady Vanishes.

A 1930s autograph of the British actress Margaret Lockwood

Margaret Lockwood to be honoured with English Heritage blue plaque

Date posted

The plaque will be installed at the British actress’s former home in Upper Norwood, followed by a screening of The Lady Vanishes.

Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave in a scene from The Lady Vanishes (1938) in the BFI’s promotional booklet for their 2008 Margaret Lockwood season. Page reads: ‘Lockwood was Britain’s favourite female star throughout most of the 1940s bringing verve and glamour to a war-weary nation. Josephine Botting looks back over her career and reveals a highly versatile actress.’

Margaret Lockwood season at the BFI in January 2008

Date posted

BFI Southbank dedicates a season to British actress Margaret Lockwood, with an extended run of The Lady Vanishes and rare screenings.

Return of the Train, promotional advertisement by Virgin Trains from 2005. Clever CGI transports Margaret Lockwood and Day May Whitty from The Lady Vanishes (1938) to the present day

Margaret Lockwood featured in unique Virgin Trains advertisement

Date posted

Virgin’s ‘The Return of the Train’ advertising campaign features film stars from six classic movies mixed with present-day passengers.

See also

How to watch

Blu-ray and DVD (3)

Date posted Studio

Buy from Amazon

Date posted Studio

Buy from Amazon

Date posted Studio

Buy from Amazon


Pictures

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Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (30) featuring Catherine Lacey (as The Nun)
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (8). Catherine Lacey, Josephine Wilson, Charles Oliver, Kathleen Tremaine
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (7). Mary Clare, Emile Boreo, Googie Withers, Sally Stewart, Philip Leaver, Zelma Vaz Dias
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (6). Cast: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Cecil Parker, Linden Travers
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5). A Gainsborough picture
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3). Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Main title from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (12) featuring Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood
Iris (Margaret Lockwood) and Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) investigate the disappearance of Miss Froy on board a train in The Lady Vanishes
In the train carriage, Dr Hartz (Paul Lucas) questions Signora Doppo (Zelma Vas Dias) as Iris (Margaret Lockwood) and Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) look on
The Lady Vanishes Blu-ray from Network and The British Film. Features Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood and Paul Lukas.
The Wheel Spins, by Ethel Lina White. A Crime Club Choice from Penguin Books. This book was the inspiration for Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes of 1938
Michael Redgrave (as Gilbert Redman) and Margaret Lockwood (as Iris Matilda Henderson) in a French DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Australian DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
Spanish poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Sally Stewart (as Julie), Margaret Lockwood (as Iris Matilda Henderson), Alfred Hitchcock and Googie Withers (as Blanche) in a photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (27)
Alfred Hitchcock and Dame May Whitty (as Miss Froy) in a photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (26)
Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave in a scene from The Lady Vanishes (1938) in the BFI’s promotional booklet for their 2008 Margaret Lockwood season. Page reads: ‘Lockwood was Britain’s favourite female star throughout most of the 1940s bringing verve and glamour to a war-weary nation. Josephine Botting looks back over her career and reveals a highly versatile actress.’
Argentine poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (15)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (14)
Italian video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (6)
Michael Redgrave (as Gilbert Redman), Margaret Lockwood (as Iris Matilda Henderson) and Paul Lukas (as Dr Hartz) in a German DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Spanish DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (13)
Alfred Hitchcock in a poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (12)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (11)
Argentine poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Book of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
Alfred Hitchcock in a video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5)
Cecil Parker (as Eric Todhunter) in a photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (25)
Alfred Hitchcock in a French DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Michael Redgrave (as Gilbert Redman) and Margaret Lockwood (as Iris Matilda Henderson) in a DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (11)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (11)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (6)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (10)
Italian DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
German video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Alfred Hitchcock in a DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (9)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (12)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (24)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (7)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (23)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (15)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (7)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (13)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (8)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (22)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Screen Romances magazine featuring The Lady Vanishes. December, 1938, volume 18, issue number 115.
French video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (21)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (20)
Basil Radford (as Charters), Margaret Lockwood (as Iris Matilda Henderson) and Linden Travers (as Mrs Margaret Todhunter) in a photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (19)
Spanish poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
French poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
French video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
French poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Chinese DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Record sleeve from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (18)
Book of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Book of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (10)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Alfred Hitchcock and Margaret Lockwood (as Iris Matilda Henderson) in a photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (17)
Screenshot from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Screenshot from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Japanese DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Japanese DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Australian DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (16)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (15)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (9)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (16)
Spanish video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Italian video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (9)
Book of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (12)
Yugoslav poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (14)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (14)
Famous British director Alfred Hitchcock and actress Margaret Lockwood look on as a small child plays on the set of The Lady Vanishes
Polish DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (10)
DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5)
Laser disc of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Laser disc of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Laser disc of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (13)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (8)
Video cover from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Japanese poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Japanese poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Japanese poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Spanish poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Swedish poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Swedish poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Belgian poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
German poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
French DVD cover of The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
French poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Australian poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Australian poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Australian poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (8)
Pressbook for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (7)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (6)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Poster for The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (8)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (7)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (6)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (11)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (10)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (9)
Lobby card from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (9)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (8)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (7)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (6)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (5)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (4)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (3)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (2)
Photograph from The Lady Vanishes (1938) (1)
The Lady Vanishes DVD from Cinema Club, 2001
Return of the Train, promotional advertisement by Virgin Trains from 2005. Clever CGI transports Margaret Lockwood and Day May Whitty from The Lady Vanishes (1938) to the present day

Production

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Alfred Hitchcock
Director
Ethel Lina White
Writer (based upon the story: ‘The Wheel Spins’ by)
Sidney Gilliat
Writer (screen play)

Companies

(1)
The Lady Vanishes (1938) opening credits (5)
Gainsborough Pictures
Production company