8 – 14 OCTOBER 2022

Alfred Hitchcock remains one of the most iconic of film directors and it will be interesting to see if Vertigo still tops the Sight & Sound poll, conducted every 10 years, in 2022. Sky Arts has also been showing his 1950s TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and many of the episodes still hold up well.
THE 39 STEPS (1935) Saturday 8 October 1.15-2.40pm BBC 2       
Still the best adaptation of John Buchan’s novel; it stars the impeccable teaming of Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll. It is also Hitchcock’s best British film.
THE LADY VANISHES (1938) Saturday 8 October 2.40-4.10pm BBC 2     
Despite some ridiculous model work at the beginning, this – mostly – train-set thriller, with Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood, is essential viewing.
STALAG 17 (1953) Thursday 13 October 12.35-2.55pm Film 4     
We began the current season by drawing everyone’s attention to the superb performance given by Anthony Hopkins in The Father. Most people would struggle to name William Holden’s Oscar-winning role; it was in this prison camp drama. Equally, most of wouldn’t think of Billy Wilder as the director, although his satirical and comic jibes are present and correct.