Hitchcock's comedic streak is at it's wittiest in this film. There is a build up of suspense as a lady literally vanishes into thin air and my guess is that Hitchcock must have created the mystery without having devised a solution and then wound it up as best as he could. It is a light and lively movie bubbling with life and mischief, including a pair of cricket crazy comedians and a whole pack of European (the traditional source of the commodity) villains . Most of the action takes place on a moving steam locomotive and that gives ample scope for a variety of monkey tricks. The strength of the film lies in the freshness and of the script, the sparkling repartee and the youthful romance. It is a package of light entertainment, good enough to kill an idle hour and a half.
After all, Hitchcock was a mere thirty nine and the real wickedness and mastery of medium still a corner or two away. The film was immensely popular when it came out.
Criterion Essay
