"Though a relatively early entry in Hitchcock's development as a master of suspenseful thrillers, 39 Steps remains one of the director's best, with its innovative film editing techniques and classic Hitchcockian theme of an innocent, ordinary man finding himself in an extraordinary situation where he is forced to fight for his life and honor when the world he thought he knew suddenly becomes a foreign, threatening place. It all begins in an English music hall where clamorous vaudeville acts perform over the vague hum of the audience. Then the amazing Mr. Memory steps up on the stage. Midway through his act, just after he has asked the audience for questions, Canadian rancher Richard Hannay, arises and asks a question. Suddenly a shot rings out and sets off a stampede of audience members. Amidst the turmoil, Hannay sees a terrified young woman. He rescues her and then takes the shaken lady to his apartment to cool down. There the girl, Miss Smith, tells Hannay about a number of highly classified secrets that are about to be smuggled out of England. She tells him of an enemy superspy who can be recognized by the partially amputated pinky on his right hand and then says something about the title steps before falling silent and heading off to sleep in the guest bedroom. Hannay's ordeal begins with the discovery that someone murdered Miss Smith while he slept. In her hand is a map to Scotland. Grabbing it, Hannay flees and gets on a Scotland-bound train. It doesn't take long for the police to get involved and naturally he is their prime suspect. Word travels fast and Hannay is terrified that detectives will take him to prison. He panics when he learns a pair of gumshoes have boarded the train and are looking for him. His flight aboard the train leads him to the arms of the icy, blonde and beautiful Pamela. He quickly explains his situation and begs her assistance. As the detectives walk by, he grabs Pamela and gives her a red-hot kiss. Unfortunately, Pamela is not a good sport and escapes the embrace, calling the detectives over. Desperately, Hannay dives out of the speeding train and clings onto the outside handrails and windows until the train screeches to its halt on a long bridge. Hannay makes a hair-raising escape. During his flight, Hannay is forced to don several disguises, providing the film with occasional bursts of humor. But no matter where he goes, the detectives dog him. They eventually capture him after he again runs into Pamela. By the time he escapes once again, Hannay and the reluctant blonde are handcuffed together. Eventually she comes to believe his story and together they rush off to solve the mystery of the 39 steps. Their investigation leads Hannay back to the very same place where his ordeal began. Hitchcock's use of lightning quick cuts, quickly moves the action from one scene to the next and helps draw the audience into a situation where it is both an observer and an illusory participant in the action."