Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps (1935)

If you ever wondered where Richard Hannay got his change of clothes in between his escape from the train and his arrival at the Crofter’s cottage, the following series of scenes cut from The 39 Steps will answer that question. The structure of Hitchcock’s film is so clean and perfect, though, so while these scenes would have made an amusing transition, the director clearly saw that they were unnecessary.

179. EXT. HIGHLAND COTTAGE. BACK DOOR. DAY. S.L.S.

The music continues from the last impressionistic scene over a short scene of a Scottish peasant, who is just in the act of examining a pair of patent shoes, while alter- natively looking for his own boots which are obviously missing. He calls up to his wife at a higher window.

PEASANT: Where are my shoes, Maggie?

WIFE: Are those no them?

PEASANT: Are you daft, woman? Where are my ain?

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

180. INT. FARMHOUSE BEDROOM. DAY. S.C.U.

An elderly farmer type standing in his pants holding up a pair of well-cut trousers, which he has apparently just picked off a chair by an open window. The wind is gently blowing the curtains in.

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

181. EXT. HIGHLAND FIELD. DAY. S.C.U.

A stone wall by a meadow in a glen. A farmworker comes to the wall by a gate to take up his coat. He is in his shirtsleeves. He picks up a strange garment which obviously does not belong to him. It is, of course, Hannay’s coat.

FADE OUT.