Greta Gerwig names “one of the most perfect movies ever made”
Acclaimed for her transformative influence on contemporary cinema, Greta Gerwig continues to inspire audiences and critics alike with her vibrant, honest and character-driven films. Although relatively early in her career, movies like Lady Bird and Little Women have proven her deftness behind the camera and affirmed her knack for catapulting female narratives into the spotlight, making space for complex and nuanced portrayals that breathe fresh air into cinema’s predominantly male-centric perspectives.
Of course, Gerwig’s latest film Barbie has taken the box office by storm, cementing her stature as an innovative auteur who can bridge the gap between commercial success and artistic integrity. Gerwig’s adaptation of the iconic doll’s life has resonated unprecedentedly with global audiences, shattering box-office records while upholding her signature storytelling style and showcasing her keen eye for gender dynamics.
In a recent discussion with Indiewire, Gerwig, who, in typical auteur fashion, acts as both director and writer, revealed a list of films she considers essential viewing. One of them, however, received particularly high praise for being called “one of the most perfect movies ever made”. The film in question? Alfred Hitchcock’s classic British thriller The 39 Steps, which was released in 1935. Gerwig emphasised how it was not the movie’s scope that made it “perfect” but rather the “little details that are like, oh no!”
One of the finest British capers, The 39 Steps is a shining example of Hitchcock’s mastery over suspense and mystery. Starring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll, the espionage thriller tells the story of an innocent man striving to clear his name from a murder accusation. Its complex and intricate story and cinematic innovation make it an enduring classic in the annals of film history – and clearly, Gerwig agrees.
In some ways, The 39 Steps embodies elements that resonate with her own directorial style. Gerwig’s films are renowned for their focus on detailed characterisation just as much as their creative scope, like the finely tuned narrative threads and carefully crafted characters in Hitchcock’s thriller. The film’s mastery over the “little details'” seems to have struck a chord with Gerwig, as demonstrated by the multiple layers of depth and meaning in Barbie.
Having taken audiences from high school in the early 2000s to 19th century Massachusets and now to the overly saturated pink dreamscape of Barbieland, perhaps Gerwig’s fourth feature will see the director diving into the 1930s-style crime caper.
Based on her three films so far, there’s no doubt that blending her signature modern style with a more classical framework that she’s so vocally praised would result in something excellent – something well worth seeing. Maybe, just maybe, something “perfect”.
