When elderly Miss Froy (Whitty) disappears without a trace on a train en route to England, her acquaintance Iris (Lockwood) searches every cabin and corner — without success. Stranger still, the other passengers deny this charming old lady ever existed. Despite their skepticism and her own increasing self-doubt, Iris pursues the truth with the aid of handsome musician Gilbert (Redgrave), who's more attracted to Iris than to the mystery.

Hitchcock's timeless classic begins on a high comic note, then quickly transforms into a suspense film with political overtones. As in "The 39 Steps," the priceless banter between the heroine and her unlikely ally elevates what is already a nifty nail-biter into something infinitely more special: a romantic mystery. The cast of eccentrics — especially two English tourists played by Basil Radford and Naughton Wayne — give this "Lady" extra punch, and Dame May Whitty is adorable as the elusive old lady who causes all the fuss.