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39 out of 43 people found the following comment useful :- Forgotten but excellent!, 31 July 2001 Author: TexMetal4JC (TexMetal4JC@hotmail.com) from Connecticut/Texas
Alfred Hitchcock was always pushing the envelope, and 1940's "Foreign Correspondent" is no different. With America still in the midst of trading with both sides of the European war, Hitchcock made a spy thriller that quite clearly cast the Germans as the bad guys (minus the word Nazi, which only appears once at the beginning of the film) while being shamelessly patriotic (the last scene is both inspiring and laughable).But Hitchcock could afford to go out on a limb. He started making FC a week after the release of "Rebecca," a movie that garnered large amounts of critical acclaim and won Best Picture. But with all the praise heaped on Hitchcock's first American movie, his second has often gone unnoticed, although it is certainly up to par with - if not better than - "Rebecca".Foreign Correspondent tells the story of Johnny Jones, an American newspaper writer chosen to go to England to report on the war as Huntley Haverstock for the New York Globe. While in England, he attempts to interview a Dutch statesman, Van Mier, but instead witnesses the man's assassination. The resulting pursuit throws Jones/Haverstock into a Nazi spy ring that intends to use a secret clause to create German victory in the impending war. Along the way, Jones/Haverstock meets an English reporter who assists him and the daughter of a renowned pacifist.The acting is excellent all around, with special kudos given to Robert Sanders as the English reporter, Scott ffoliot, and to Edmund Gwenn in a minor but important roll as Rowly, the friendly hit man. Laraine Day and Joel McCray have that special chemistry that adds to the romance part of the movie, while McCray and Sanders' straight-faced humor is enjoyable.Hitchcock's directing is magnificent, like usual. As always, there are certain scenes that are signature Hitchcock: The assassination chase through the sea of umbrellas, and later in the Dutch countryside. The tower murder scene. And the plane crash scene has inspired cinematic plane crashes for decades. All in all, Foreign Correspondent shows Hitchcock at his best, in the midst of a string of movies that saw him reach the top of the British filmmaking world and rapidly ascend to the same position in America. And it once again proves that Hitchcock was indeed the father of the spy-thriller genre.
27 out of 28 people found the following comment useful :- Entertaining, Exciting, and Masterfully Constructed, 25 May 2001 Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio
While not as well-known today as some of his later films, Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller "Foreign Correspondent" is entertaining, exciting, and masterfully constructed. Though lacking the star power of some of the great director's more famous movies, the cast is very good, the settings are wonderfully conceived, and the story and writing keep the viewer's attention at all times. It has everything we hope for from Hitchcock: action, suspense, and a good dose of humor.The plot is a complicated one, beginning when American reporter Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea) is sent to Europe just before the outbreak of World War II. Expected to send back news about the possibility of war, Jones stumbles across an espionage ring that is using kidnapping and murder in an attempt to get important government secrets for use in the coming war. The action goes from England to Holland and back to England, with Jones constantly escaping from danger as he tries to get the details of the spy plot for his newspaper. It does take some effort to follow everything that is happening, but there are many action sequences and a lot of good writing - with many fine touches of humor - that make it easy to pay attention.In the lead role, McCrea performs with the easy-going understatement that typifies the heroes of Hitchcock's earlier films. Laraine Day is pleasant if unspectacular as McCrea's romantic interest, whose father (played nicely by Herbert Marshall) is also one of the key figures on the international scene. The supporting cast also has some fine actors. George Sanders for once gets to play a good guy, Robert Benchley is very funny as McCrea's fellow foreign correspondent, and Albert Basserman is touching as an old diplomat who has seen too much of the world's troubles.But it is the action sequences and the settings that really make the film. Hitchcock's expert hand can be seen in almost every setting, and he displays a wealth of creative ideas here equal to any of his films. Particularly good are the memorable windmill scenes and the exciting climactic sequence in mid-ocean. This final sequence is not only thrilling, it also perfectly completes all of the film's action and themes."Foreign Correspondent" contains plenty of excitement, humor, and suspense, along with some of Hitchcock's best set pieces. It is highly recommended.
29 out of 32 people found the following comment useful :- Never pauses for breath..., 6 October 2004 Author: Adam Roche (adishavinfun) from Berkshire, England
What a movie!I literally could not believe how great this movie was once I'd seen it for the first time. After a short intro we are thrust directly into the action and from there on in, it's one thrilling set-piece after another.We go from kidnapping to assassination, to car chase, to discovery of plot, to escape from a hotel, to a twist regarding the leader of the enemy, to a wonderful sequence with a hired bodyguard who is in fact an assassin, to a fake kidnapping set up by the heroes, to torture scene, to rescue, to plane crash at sea...It's dizzying that this was all intended for one film and when the end credits rolled you really felt like you'd got your money's worth. If I'd have watched this movie when it came out in the forties, I would have praised Hitchcock all night for giving me ten superb movies in one for my dollar.In short (although you can hardly call these ramblings short) check this movie out. If you're a fan of escapist, thrilling adventures populated by superb characters (see George Sanders as ffolliot, and Robert Benchley as Stebbins) you will be delighted. This is one of Hitch's lesser seen gems and deserves to be rediscovered without delay
26 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :- Thrill Ride On A Mission, 12 August 2006 Author: Bill Slocum (slokes@optonline.net) from Norwalk, CT USA
Alfred Hitchcock directed many great movies, but few testify to his ability at marrying suspense, action, and comedy as does "Foreign Correspondent," a film which coincidentally carries Hitchcock's boldest political statement: That neutrality doesn't work when others are bent on war.Joel McCrea stars as American newspaperman Johnny Jones, sent to Europe on the eve of World War II by the newspaper's publisher precisely because he's a man of action unschooled in politics and economics, "someone who doesn't know the difference between an 'ism' and a kangaroo," the old publisher declares. Jones goes along with the idea, even with changing his byline to the pompous "Huntley Haverstock," because as he puts it, "give me an expense account, and I'll cover anything." Fate intervenes when a photographer apparently murders Europe's last hope for peace right in front of Jones, spurring the reporter to react in a way that leads to a series of outrageously precarious and double-crossing incidents culminating in a plane crash-landing into the Atlantic Ocean.Hitchcock arrived in the U.S. with a flourish, his first Hollywood movie being the Oscar-winning "Rebecca," and this his second that same year, 1940. Some back in Great Britain complained Hitchcock's leaving his native country as it faced Hitler all alone was desertion, but Hitchcock was doing all he could for King and Country, as "Foreign Correspondent" pulls all the stops to shake American viewers from their neutrality.That sort of desperation would ruin most films, but here it only prods Hitchcock to singular and repeated acts of inventiveness as he shakes the tree. We see Jones climb out the window of the Hotel Europe, knock out the letters "EL" to underscore the film's message, and find his way into the hotel room of the girl he has been trying unsuccessfully to woo. There's an assassination in the rain and shot from above so we see little more than wet hats and umbrellas, and a long sequence inside a creaking windmill that has you thinking our hero's about to be discovered by the bad guys every 20 seconds. The film feels more vital for sequences like this: You can't imagine anyone trying to get away with this, yet Hitchcock keeps pulling it off.Then there's the other revolutionary element of the film, its humor, ever-present throughout the picture in a way that doesn't cut against the grain of the suspense so much as amplify it, by keeping you off-guard and invested in the action. This is best exemplified by Edmund Gwenn's plummy turn as an evil assassin (no spoiler, he's introduced to us that way) bent on killing Jones, but so affable and borderline-snarky in his menace you can't root against him as much as you'd like to. As Gwenn's Rowley leads Jones up a church steeple to set up an accident, you wonder how Jones will get out of it but still chuckle at how Rowley tries to keep Jones from going back down: "You must see the 'orse guards!" Gwenn is one of two fantastic examples of reverse casting, the other being George Sanders as a good guy named ffolliett.Hitchcock is very careful in presenting the bad guys. He never says they're Germans, though the implication is obvious. The chief baddie is ruthless but not without decent impulses, in a way that mirrors but goes beyond Willy in his later "Lifeboat." Hitchcock knew when the film was released, he would be attacked by those who wanted to keep appeasing Germany. For "Foreign Correspondent" to be successful, it needed to bring the audience along without noticing the ride, laughing with and pulling for Jones right up until the moment he does a radio broadcast in London while bombs burst around him, an eerie foreshadowing of what Edward R. Morrow would be doing for real only days after "Foreign Correspondent" opened in theaters.You can't help but admire a film that was on the right side of history, but "Foreign Correspondent" may play better now than it ever did because of the way its pure cinema techniques work today, a style Tarantino and Leone admirers will no doubt recognize and appreciate, but that anyone can enjoy.
25 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :- early Hitchcock masterpiece, 12 June 2004 Author: brianh-9 from Mississippi, USA
When one dotes on Hitchcock's overall work, this film isn't probably the first one mentioned. However, the film is just a fun work of a true legend. The film is something that must be seen. Once it is, you learn that Hitch was a true genius. Look at several escapes from true death by our New York Globe correspondent Jones(a terrific McCrea). The first,being a windmill sequence, is a highly visual wonder. First the way it is captured and done by Hitch is fun to see. Jones has to be slippery because he knows there are spies all over in the windmill. Jones has to slither around constant turning spools and dodge many men. The reason he is here in the first place is to catch a man who supposedly shot a major player in stopping a war about to begin. This man is shot "dead" near a rainy building where a summit is going to be held. There is a sequence where the shooter runs through a maze of people holding umbrellas which is masterly shot. Jones chases the shooter into a windmill. That sequence doesn't even come close to the ending. I'll get to that in a minute. The second escape from death occurs when Jones is in his hotel room. These two men plan to kill Jones. Jones looks through a key hole to his bathroom and see the two pull guns. Jones escapes through the bathroom window. There is a shot where Jones is going across a ledge to get to a room across the way where he passes the lights to the hotel(HOTEL EUROPE). During this Jones knocks out one of the lights. This is well shot and brilliant. The ending is a knockout considering it was done in 1940. This sequence occurs on a plane. The plane is shot down. This sequence is mezmerising to behold. It is so well shot that I was stunned by it's complete perfection. Hitch nails every detail. From how the passengers escape to how they survive on the ocean. The film should be seen for just this sequence alone. It is a showstopper. The film has a very complex story. It is about a man who must find out the facts..the truth about whether Europe is going to war. Obviously, it is the nazis, but we aren't given specifics. We do know Germany has a lot to do with it. The story is shot with precision. Hitch guides the story perfectly with tense pacing and delicately handles situations. How our hero makes it through the film without being killed is well done. The film isn't stupid and understands that our hero's survival must be realistic, yet well managed to hold suspense. In a way, Hitch needs to keep you spellbound in wondering how he could survive. The love story between a major politician in London's daughter and Jones is not just a sub plot. It serves the film in every way. The plot is centered on the relationship. The way it ends depends on the romance. The film should be seen by those who are Hitchcock fans. It is a well directed film with visual flair and good story. *****/*****
25 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :- Hitch was firing on all cylinders, 15 January 2001 Author: Jerry_Horne from Seattle, WA
This film is a true gem, that had all of the touches we have come to associate with films of the master. While "Rebecca" (from the same year) may have garnered more recognition, it was an extremely brooding film that lacked the trademark Hitchcock sense of humor."Foreign Correspondent" however, had it all. The suspense is unrelenting, building to a spectacular climax. It had many of those dazzling Hitchcock sequences: the assassination in Amsterdam, the scene in the cathedral tower and, especially, the sequence in the windmill, which is pure magic!Of course, it also had that classic sense of humor and a slew of terrific character roles, including Edmund Gwenn as the most cherubic and cheerful hit man you've ever seen! The final scene was strictly American propaganda, but that can probably be forgiven considering the subject matter of the film and the time of it's release.All in all, a wonderful example of the master at his best, that deserves to be dusted off and enjoyed alongside some of it's more celebrated cousins!
19 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :- Forshadowing North by Northwest., 17 September 2005 Author: S.C. Skafte from Nova Scotia, Canada
A very good Hitchcock film, though admittedly, not quite up with Psycho or Rear Window. Hitch is certainly in top form here, though. Amazing set pieces, such as a murder on a rain-socked Amsterdam stairway, a mysterious windmill, a rooftop escape, and a harrowing plane crash.When it comes to the actors, there's no Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart this time, but Joel McCrea does an admirable job is the lead role. Albert Bassermann certainly deserved his Oscar for his stellar performance as the elderly kidnapped diplomat. And I mustn't forget Edmund Gwenn (Miracle on 34th Street) as a memorable villain, either.Some minor parts of the film are logically dated, as with all films of this period. But, the sometimes inappropriate music and the poor back-projection are minor quibbles.Recommended. A fun, period adventure film.7.7 out of 10
17 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :- Another Hitchcock crowd-pleaser, 2 February 2004 Author: Glenn Andreiev (gandreiev@aol.com) from Huntington, NY
The first half hour of Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent" looks like it can either be a light romantic comedy or a oddly fashioned drama about current events. But then, there's this scene in the rain, where our hero, played with energy by Joel McCrea, attends a crowded political meeting. McCrea notices his new friend, an elderly ambassador acts vacant and glassy eyed. Then, this mysterious photographer steps in. The photographer has next to his camera, a gun.... At this point "Foreign Correspondent" becomes an inventive chase thriller, darting across the audiences' eyes at a berserk chase. This was the first time that Hitchcock had all of Hollywood's tools at his disposal, and what a spellbinding, constantly fun classic came of it. I look forward to this film making it's DVD debut!
12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :- Gripping and Perfect, 8 June 2004 Author: gengar843 from United States
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
For what it's worth, I think this is one of Hitchcock's top films. **SPOILERS AHEAD** Some people have commented on the over-the-top dialogue. I must admit that I found the characters rather whimsical, but I think that is the point. From Edmund Gwenn's (great casting) larking cutthroat to George Sanders' wry snobbery to Eddie Conrads's eyebrow-rustling Latvian, Hitchcock puts together a very light-hearted setting. Into this brush of sparkling romance, hack journalism, and "amateur politics" comes a nest of Axis spies. The McGuffin is a particular clause of a peace treaty, and our cast is whirled around this center. Many of the set-pieces-- the assassination, the windmill, the crash landing-- are virtuosi in themselves but are not meant to distract from a weak script, unlike many of today's films. The main plot, the secret kidnapping of a diplomat, keeps its steam. Subplot #1, the romance between lovely Laraine Day and McCrea, is charming and believable. Subplot #2, the intrigue, is masterfully handled by Hitch, and it is his forte. When first viewing this, you will be glued to the screen, attempting to figure things out before Hitchcock, in typical fashion, releases the pressure by revealing some "secret" thing. The patriotism is perfectly suited to 1940, and we in America would do well to heed the warnings against isolationism even today. I give it a 10.
16 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :- In many ways, the master's most accessible film, 24 May 2001 Author: sultana-1 from New York, NY
Hitchcock may not have wanted him, but Joel Mac Crea's "everyman" performance as "Huntley Haverstock" is the most purely likeable and accessible protagonist Hitchcock has ever had. And, that works perfectly for the movies which gets plenty of the dark and mysterious and perverted from the magnificent supporting cast (including Marshall, Gwenn, Sanders, and many others...). But McCrea's feckless honesty and stubborn determination (rather than the more usual-for-Hitchcock obsession) work refreshingly in contrast with the others.All the other typical master touches, impeccable camera work, a great score, intricate interwoven plotlines, and many dualities are all on hand for a truly great and unforgettable cinematic experience.Watch this film!
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