With its pre-World War One setting, this exciting film of the famous thriller is the closest to John Buchan's original novel of the three existing versions, the other two being Hitchcock's 1935 classic (which remains the best) and the 1959 film with Kenneth More. Robert Powell is ideal as Richard Hannay, and there's some lovely colour photography of the Scottish countryside. The action set-pieces, if far-fetched, are thrillingly done, especially the climax on the face of Big Ben. A fourth adaptation is promised for 2009, written and directed by Robert Towne (writer of The Firm and Mission: Impossible).

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