Foreign Correspondent

Ostensibly, it's about the crucial Secret Clause 27 in the European peace treaty. It's what triggers the dangerous shadow play and puts our cast of players in motion. In reality, it's just another of Hitchcock's notorious McGuffins. Hitchcock's second ever Hollywood venture, out in 1940, coincided with a disquieting state of affairs in Europe, with an England already at war with Germany. This famous expatriate was desirous of showing support for the British war effort, as well as alerting the rest of the world of that looming threat from the Deutschland. Foreign Correspondent, on the surface, may pass as yet one more spine-tingling thriller from the Master of Suspense, but it also serves as an in-the-moment cautionary tale and a wake-up call, seeing as how, at that stage, America had yet to enter the war."This is London. We have as a guest tonight one of the soldiers of the press, one of the little army of historians who are writing history from beside the cannon's mouth..."It's a crackerjack tale that toes the line between the full-throttle espionage thriller and the sparkling romantic comedy. The plot centers on Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea), one of the New York Globe's two-fisted crime reporters. Figuring that Americans are thirsting for some hard-boiled news overseas, the editor-in-chief reassigns his most hard-boiled gent, Johnny, as a foreign correspondent, never mind that Johnny knows diddly squat about foreign affairs, is ignorant of the current European crisis. Add insult to injury, Jones is ordered to go by the more glamorous pseudonym of Hunter Haverstock - because what discerning reader would take someone named "Johnny Jones" seriously? Off "Haverstock" goes gallivanting in Europe wherein he ends up neck-deep in skullduggery, combatting a nest of spies, sussing out the doppelganging of a kidnapped Dutch statesman, and falling for a diplomat's daughter. You should know that Haverstock is far from your smooth operator, seeing as he's the impulsive sort who prefers a showdown to subterfuge.Hitchcock had initially wanted Gary Cooper for the lead role but was rebuffed by the star because, back then, fright films were considered to be third-rate fare. Cooper later on admitted that he should've taken the role, seeing as how Foreign Correspondent went on to be nominated for that year's Academy Award for Best Picture. But Joel McCrea, that gruff specimen, substituted admirably, convincingly fleshing out his role. Other cast members step in as urbane counterpoints to McCrea's pugnacious hothead reporter. Laraine Day is winsome and lovely and very game as a diplomat's polished daughter and, soon after, the unwilling object of Haverstock's affections. Herbert Marshall is the movie's secret weapon. He plays Day's father, that complex and distinguished English diplomat, and I guess I'll leave it at that for the sake of spoilers. George Sanders comes in as the supremely flippant fellow newspaperman Scott ffolliott, and credit Robert Benchley - who has a bit part but also writes some of the dialogue - for giving Sanders some choice one-liners. ffolliott exhibits a decidedly wicked sense of humor. Too, the film benefits from having a villain who is complicated and tortured and, ultimately, even sympathetic.Few directors can get away with such a wiggy blend of frivolity, nail-biting sensationalism, and heavy political melodrama. But Hitch had always had that sure and clever touch, gifted as he was with a macabre sense of humor and a deft knack for conceptualizing and staging these ingenious and nerve-jangling sequences. He can switch it up effortlessly, one moment building up marvelous dramatic tension, the next, orchestrating some tongue-in-cheek frippery. To Foreign Correspondent he brings to bear an array of breathtaking set pieces, three of which immediately come to mind: the assassination on the steps and the subsequent pell-mell chase thru a sea of black umbrellas; the entire windmill sequence in Holland, set off by Haverstock's taking note of that one peculiar windmill with its sails turning against the wind; and, of course, the staggering transatlantic plane crash.Mileage may vary, but Foreign Correspondent would have a hard time placing in my top five favorite Hitchcock movies - it's because I'm so besotted with his pre-Hollywood works (The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, The Man Who Knew Too Much ((1934)), Young and Innocent), and I simply love To Catch a Thief, Saboteur, and North by Northwest. Foreign Correspondent sits somewhere just below those movies, still very much a masterpiece, still a giddy watch. Word has it that Hitchcock originally had a different ending in mind for this one until a trip back home to an England girding for war spurred him to concoct that call-to-arms finale. I imagine Johnny Jones - earnest on the London mic and imploring: "Don't tune me out. Hang on a while. This is a big story and you're part of it." - even as the lights were extinguished and the air raid sirens screamed their warning and everyone dashed for cover - I imagine his words triggering something visceral and patriotic from that long ago theater audience, some of 'em anyway, or, at the very least, inspiring a sense of unease and maybe even pangs of "get off your ass and do something about this." Oh, man, the power of cinema.

If my entire home media collection was Criterion, I'd be broke, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have a few features from the collection if you are a true film nerd, who believes there to be value in the presentation and special features included with your home video. Foreign Correspondent definitely deserves the classic film nerd, niche audience treatment it gets. It is an underappreciated early Hollywood-Era Hitchcock film that clearly encapsulates his transition from early British success to the blockbuster icon he would become.One of two acclaimed Hitchcock features from the year 1940, Foreign Correspondent is a quintessential espionage thriller, featuring lots of the master's signature suspense. In style it is the apparent middle point between the two "Man Who Knew Too Much" films. Ultimately it was the other Hitchcock film of 1940, Rebecca, which won his only Best Picture award, however, Foreign Correspondent is more instantly recognizable as having the director's legendary style.The Criterion packaging of this DVD is exceptional, and includes a very informative insert. The special features in the DVD are numerous and entertaining. Also, for a DVD the picture and audio quality are top notch, obviously pushing the higher end of the more dated home media.

I won't spend time telling you the plot of "Foreign Correspondent." Chances are, if you're here, you are already aware of the film. I will say that I've always felt it was a bit underrated. Regardless of director, it's a suspenseful and very well-made espionage thriller, one that holds up very well today (despite a few dated elements).For fans of the film, or Hitchcock in general, the Criterion release is a cause for celebration. Although the previous Warner Bros. DVD release looked fine, it doesn't really compare to the new 2K digital restoration that has been done here. The phrase "looks like it was filmed yesterday" gets thrown around a bit too often when reviewing HD transfers of classic films, but I can't really think of a better description. The umbrella assassination scene, to pick a well-known passage from the film, is every bit as sharp and vibrant as a new movie.Bonus features: There's a terrific (19 min.) documentary on the film's incredible special effects. You'll never look at that plane crash the same way again. Even more revealing are the glimpses at scenes (such as the "Hot Europe" gag) that involved a lot more effects works than you may have realized. "Hollywood Propaganda and World War II" (28 min.) offers a look at how the U.S. Government encouraged movie studios to rally behind the war effort. I confess that politics doesn't really interest me, but the documentary was very engaging. Of special interest to long-time Alfred Hitchcock fans will be the hour-long segment of the "Dick Cavett Show," in which the host chats at length with the director. An audio-only bonus is a 1946 radio adaptation of the film, starring Joseph Cotten (this did not interest me, so I can't comment on the quality). Rounding out the supplements are the film's theatrical trailer, and a Hitchcock-directed "photo drama" composed of still pictures done for Life magazine.All features are included both on the Blu-ray disc, and the two DVD's included. And while some hardcore Blu-ray fans are complaining that the DVD's are not necessary, I always appreciate combo packs. Affordable portable Blu-ray players have yet to surface as of this writing, so I'm happy to have the extra copies to take along on trips, or maybe take to friends who haven't upgraded to Blu-ray. All in all, this is a first-rate and fully-loaded presentation of a great (if often overlooked) classic entry in the Hitchcock filmography. Certainly, it's a must-have for fans. And the bonus features plus flawless restoration make it worth an upgrade if you have the Warner DVD.

Ignorant American reporter Joel McCrea (John Jones) is given the pseudonym Huntley Haverstock and sent on a mission to Amsterdam to get a story about politician Albert Bassermann (Van Meer) and obtain some news about the impending war in Europe. Well, he certainly gets involved. Can he live to tell what he knows?The film is a little too long, and the first half an hour is pretty boring. We then get some tense scenes, starting with a shooting. At last, some suspense. Unfortunately, the realism of the film is sloppy at this point. For example the victim's killer would have been caught about 20 times over. Also, the killer's getaway car would not just have disappeared like that on a large empty road, given that the pursuers had the car in sight. Another instance of stupidity occurs at this point in that the bad guys don't seem to be looking out for the car that has been chasing them. These villains are cretinously stupid not to have someone pick up that McCrea is snooping around the windmill. He stands out like a sore thumb.Another memorable section sees hitman Edmund Gwenn (Rowley) bide his time and attempt his murderous instructions on McCrea. He has a couple of goes. And while these are suspenseful, Gwenn plays for comedy so it's never quite effective. And that's a problem with this film, there is far too much light-heartedness (eg, the Latvian bloke) which takes away any real danger.George Sanders (ffolliott) turns up after the first boring half an hour that wasn't necessary and immediately becomes the best of the cast. In fact, the lead man McCrea completely disappears from the proceedings after about two thirds of the film and we follow Sanders as he unravels and solves the whole mystery. By himself. McCrea wasn't needed - Sanders even already knew about wealthy aristocratic Herbert Marshall (Fisher).The film does have two other memorable sequences. The first is the sea of umbrellas as the assassin makes his getaway - very creative. The other is what elevates this film to the score I have given it - namely, the whole plane crash episode. I found this particularly eerie given the current explanation of what happened to that Air Malaysia plane recently. The one that just disappeared. There is real footage of the view that the pilots would have had as the plane dives towards the sea. We then get the water pouring in and a frightening aftermath. Maybe the passengers were already dead come the impact in the real life situation. Still, it made me think and go all sombre about it.Unfortunately, this film lacks something. Oh yeah, Hitchcock is easy to spot in this one, so keep an eye out near the beginning.

An early Hitchcock thriller made in 1940. It is set in 1939 in Europe. A US reporter is sent to Europe to by his newspaper to get a new angle on what is happening "over there". He is very naïve about what is going on in Europe and soon becomes romantically involved with Carol whose father heads an important Peace Organisation. In Holland he witnesses the assassination of a Dutch Diplomat and whilst on the trail of the killer becomes embroiled in the workings of an International Spy Ring. For such an early film it shows clearly the elements of uncertainty that pervaded the International Scene in the lead up to WW2 and how unprepared Britain was for forthcoming events. Hitchcock shows signs of his future greatness in a tight script, some superb cinematography and though the storyline is quite weak he produces a very pacey thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I am a huge fan of Hitchcock. This is one of his earlier black and white films. The scene in Amsterdam with the umbrellas is iconic as is the scene in the windmill.It features a cynical resourceful American journalist trying to figure out which are the bad guys.

When people talk or write of the best Hitchcock movies Foreign Correspondent is often overlooked but the first time I saw it I was blown away. Especially as I had just traveled up in the lift the the top of Westminster Cathedral, not to be confused with Westminster Abbey, which plays a very suspenseful part in the story. Old, black and white, made in the early days of World War Two, it was a propaganda battle cry to the Americans to join in.It has a gripping story but also a sense of humour. The plane crash sequence is still haunting. Enjoy.

Hadn't seen this film for years, so was glad to revisit and enjoy once more.