The 39 Steps

The 39 Steps is a 2008 British television feature-length adaptation of the John Buchan novel The Thirty-Nine Steps produced by the BBC. The adaptation is set on the eve of World War I, and sees mining engineer Richard Hannay caught up in a conspiracy following the death of a British spy in his apartment. It was written by Lizzie Mickery, directed by James Hawes, and starred Rupert Penry-Jones, Lydia Leonard, David Haig, Eddie Marsan and Patrick Malahide. Following four screen versions of the novel and a 1977 television adaptation of The Three Hostages, Penry-Jones became the fifth actor to portray Hannay on screen. It was filmed on location in Scotland.

The single drama was first shown on BBC One and BBC HD on 28 December 2008 as part of BBC One’s Christmas 2008 line-up, and it was the most watched programme of the day. Comparing it to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film, it received mostly negative reviews from the press. The production was criticised for its historical inaccuracies following the use of props made after the setting for the film.