Released May 9, 1979 (U.K.), limited U.S. release; 97 minutes; Eastman Color; Panavision; 8730 feet; a Hammer Film Production; a Rank Release (U.K.), Group One (U.S.); filmed at Pinewood Studios; Director: Anthony Page; Producer: Tom Sachs; Executive Producers: Michael Carreras, Arlene Williams, Alex Winitsky; Screenplay: George Axelrod, based on the novel The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White; Director of Photography: Douglas Slocombe; Editor: Russell Lloyd; Music: Richard Hartley; Musical Director: Philip Martell; Production Design: Wilfred Shingleton; Art Directors: Bill Alexander, George Von Kierseritzky; Costume Design: Emma Porteous; Production Managers: Nicholas Gillott, Albert Schwinges; Location Managers: Dusty Symonds, Christian Jungbluth; Assistant Directors: Michael Dryhurst, Michael Mertineit; Camera Operators: Chic Waterson, John Harris; Sound Mixer: Peter Handford; Dubbing Editor: Alfrex Cox; Dubbing Mixer: Ken Barker; Background Process: Don Hansard; Special Effects: Martin Gutteridge; Wardrobe: Jackie Cummins; Makeup: Neville Smallwood; Hairdresser: Stephanie Kaye; Casting: Allan Foenander, Irene Lamb; Continuity: Kay Rawlings; Production Accountant: Duncan Stewart; Construction Manager: Tony Graysmark; Electrician: Bert Bosher; Theme Song: Les Reed; Lyrics: Peter Callander; Unit Publicist: Chris Nixon; Stills Cameraman: Keith Hamshere; Railroad Facilities: Austrian Federal; U.K. Certificate: A.
Elliott Gould (Robert Condon), Cybill Shepherd (Amanda Kelly), Angela Lansbury (Miss Froy), Herbert Lom (Dr. Hartz), Arthur Lowe (Charters), Ian Carmichael (Caldicott), Gerald Harper (Mr. Todhunter), Jean Anderson (Baroness Kisling), Jenny Runacke (Mrs. Todhunter), Vladek Sheybel (Trainmaster), Madlena Nedeva (Jenny), Wolf Kahler (Helmut), Madge Ryan (Miss Rose Flood-Porter), Rosalind Knight (Evelyn), Jonathan Hackett (Waiter), Barbara Markham (Frau Kummer).
Charters (Arthur Lowe) and Caldicott (Ian Carmichael), two Britons abroad, complain about the cancellation of their train out of Germany due to Nazi military maneuvers. Also inconvenienced are Miss Froy (Angela Lansbury), Robert Condon (Elliott Gould), Dr. Hartz (Herbert Lom), and a wild American heiress, Amanda Kelly (Cybill Shepherd). She angers the Nazis with a crude imitation of Hitler and is fortunate not to be arrested. As the train finally leaves, it is boarded by Gestapo agents. Miss Froy and Amanda share a compartment and a brief conversation. When Amanda awakens after a nap, Miss Froy is gone—and no one can recall even seeing her in the first place. Only Robert shows any inclination to believe that Miss Froy was ever on the train.
As Amanda and Robert search the train, it makes an unscheduled stop so that Dr. Hartz can take on board an accident victim in heavy bandages and a nun, Sister Jenny (Madlena Nedeva), who is caring for her. Robert drifts in and out of belief, but is finally convinced that something is wrong when he and Amanda notice that Sister Jenny is wearing high heels. They confront Dr. Hartz with their suspicion that Miss Froy is now hidden under the bandages—switched with the “accident victim.” Sister Jenny—actually Mrs. Hartz—tires of the plot and frees Miss Froy, who is in possession of a coded message that is harmful to the Nazis, given to her by her German employer who opposes Hitler. After a shoot-out with the Gestapo, Miss Froy escapes and finds her way to London where she is joined by Amanda and Robert, the message safely in the hands of British Intelligence and her mission completed.
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1938 version was one of his most popular comedy-thrillers, and its success led him to Hollywood. The picture was set to be directed by Roy William Neill (who found fame with the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes series), but Hitchcock replaced him and became a superstar. The original film’s reputation indicates the direction Michael Carreras had planned for Hammer when he chose to re-film Ethel L. White’s novel. It took Carreras almost three years to put the package together, first planning it as a film for American television. This fell through, and Rank—who held the remake rights—lost interest, so Carreras went to Columbia for financing. Columbia withdrew and Rank, finally, agreed to 100 percent backing.
Anthony Page was hired six weeks before filming began and was, understandably, concerned about comparisons with Alfred Hitchcock. “We’re not competing with Hitchcock,” he said (Screen International, December 9, 1978), “but with people’s memories of the film.” Michael Carreras was quick to point out that the picture was “not a remake, but a remold.”
The Lady Vanishes began location shooting in Klangentort, Austria, on December 11, 1978, with a £2 million budget. On board were slumping American stars Elliott Gould and Cybill Shepherd, well supported byAngela Lansbury and Herbert Lom, making his first Hammer appearance since The Phantom of the Opera. After a month in Austria, the production moved to Pinewood and location work in London, finishing on December 7. A “World Charity Premiere” was held on May 5, 1979, to aid Birthright and the Voluntary Research Fund, followed by a party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel. The Lady Vanishes then opened on May 9 at the Leicester Square Odeon to generally good reviews: The New Statesman (May 11): “A pretty skillful, appealing, and courageous job”; The Observer (May 13): “An amiable entertainment”; The Daily Mirror (May 12): “Even if you know the plot you will be entertained and intrigued”; The Guardian (May 12): “A faster pace than Hitchcock”; The Sun (May 12): “Good, rollicking stuff”; and News of the World (May 12): “A delightful film.”
Although the film passed the “Hitchcock comparison test” with many critics, it left audiences cold and was barely released in America. Despite excellent production quality and beautiful location photography, the lack of chemistry between the leads (plus their poor performances) sinks the picture. The seventies also had a surfeit of similar—and better—movies like Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and Rank’s own remake of The 39 Steps (1978). The failure of The Lady Vanishes ended not only Hammer’s production but Hammer itself, and it remains the company’s last feature film. Even though Michael Carreras was unable to save his company, his final picture was a sincerely made one.