Alfred Hitchcocks 39 Steps has found fame as a not only a quintessential Hitchcock, but an exemplary model of the spy movie genre. Based on a novel by John Buchan, it tells the story of Richard Hannay, Hitchcocks everyman who finds himself mixed up in the high stakes world of international intrigue. Through the extraordinary actions of this everyman, Hitchcock builds an identity that comments on masculinity and gender roles. As Richard Hannay retrieves the secrets of the state, the audience is treated to a dialogue on masculinity, the capacity of the man and their stereotypical goals within filmic narrative.