HBO Max is set to remove Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 thriller "The Lady Vanishes" from its US catalogue, giving viewers only a limited window to watch a film credited with shaping the director's suspense style before his move to Hollywood. The film is significant both as an early masterwork from Hitchcock's British career and as the project that convinced producer David O. Selznick to bring him to Hollywood, making its departure notable for cinema history enthusiasts as well as casual streamers.

The nearly 90-year-old film follows a young woman who tries to track down a train cabin-mate who vanishes mid-journey, only for fellow passengers to insist the woman never existed. It has influenced several later thrillers, including "Flightplan", "Transsiberian" and the Netflix film "Fractured", underlining its lasting impact on the genre. The article does not specify an exact removal date beyond noting it is imminent, so viewers wishing to watch it are advised to do so soon.