Saboteur (1942)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Peter Viertel (original screenplay) &
Joan Harrison (original screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 April 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Mystery | Thriller | War

Tagline:

3000 miles of terror!

Plot:

Aircraft factory worker Barry Kane goes on the run across the United States when he is wrongly accused of starting a fire that killed his best friend.

Plot Keywords:

Espionage | Cross Country | On The Run | Film In Film | Statue Of Liberty

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Priscilla Lane	...	Pat
Robert Cummings	...	Barry
Otto Kruger	...	Tobin
Alan Baxter	...	Freeman
Clem Bevans	...	Neilson
Norman Lloyd	...	Fry
Alma Kruger	...	Mrs. Sutton
Vaughan Glaser	...	Mr. Miller (as Vaughan Glazer)
Dorothy Peterson	...	Mrs. Mason
Ian Wolfe	...	Robert
Frances Carson	...	Society Woman
Murray Alper	...	Truck Driver
Kathryn Adams	...	Young Mother
Pedro de Cordoba	...	Bones - Circus Troupe
Billy Curtis	...	Midget - Circus Troupe
Marie LeDeaux	...	Fat Woman - Circus Troupe (as Marie Le Deaux)
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Lorelei - Circus Troupe (as Anita Bolster)
Jean Romer	...	Siamese Twin (as Jeanne Romer)
Lynne Romer	...	Siamese Twin (as Lynn Romer)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walter Miller	...	Midget (scenes deleted)
Gerald Pierce	...	Elevator operator (scenes deleted)
Oliver Blake	...	Deputy Sheriff-Driver (uncredited)
Veda Ann Borg	...	Actress on movie screen (uncredited)
Al Bridge	...	Marine MP Sergeant (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Dance extra (uncredited)
Paul E. Burns	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Don Cadell	...	FBI man (uncredited)
Jack Cheatham	...	Detective outside movie theater (uncredited)
Hans Conried	...	Edward (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps	...	Man in movie audience (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Dance Extra (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Dance Extra (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	FBI agent at Mason's house (uncredited)
John Eldredge	...	Footman (uncredited)
Paul Everton	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	George, Elevator Operator (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Motorcycle cop (voice) (uncredited)
Eddie Foster	...	Driver for saboteurs (uncredited)
Jack Gardner	...	Pat's taxi driver (uncredited)
Eugene Gericke	...	Plant worker (uncredited)
Art Gilmore	...	Radio Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited)
Gus Glassmire	...	Mr. Pearl (uncredited)
William Gould	...	Stranger on sidewalk (uncredited)
Charles Halton	...	Second Sheriff (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Party Extra (uncredited)
Vinton Haworth	...	Other man in the movie (uncredited)
Margaret Hayes	...	Wife in movie (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	FBI Chief (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Man killed in movie theater (uncredited)
Rex Lease	...	Plant cafeteria worker (uncredited)
William A. Lee	...	Rogers, Plant worker (uncredited)
Alexander Lockwood	...	Marine (uncredited)
Nancy Loring	...	Young mother (uncredited)
Lou Lubin	...	Man (uncredited)
Jimmie Lucas	...	Taxi driver (uncredited)
Frank Marlowe	...	Man in newsreel truck (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard	...	Cowhand (uncredited)
Margaret Ann McLaughlin	...	Baby Susie Brown (uncredited)
Dick Midgley	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell	...	Adele, Tobin's maid (uncredited)
Robert Mitchum	...	Passerby (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Margaret Moffatt	...	Mrs. Moore, Neighbor (uncredited)
Henry Norton	...	Party Guest Extra (uncredited)
Gene O'Donnell	...	Jitterbug (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Plant worker (uncredited)
Paddy O'Flynn	...	Counterman at Statue of Liberty (uncredited)
Emory Parnell	...	Henry, Husband in movie (uncredited)
Ruth Peterson	...	Society woman (uncredited)
Lee Phelps	...	Plant security officer (uncredited)
Paul Phillips	...	Driver (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	Party guest (uncredited)
William Ruhl	...	Deputy marshal (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Henchman (uncredited)
Shadow	...	Dog (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Barry's taxi driver (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	Motorcycle highway patrolman (uncredited)
Virgil Summers	...	Kenneth "Ken" Mason (uncredited)
Jean Trent	...	Blonde aircraft worker (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell	...	Motorcycle cop (voice) (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	FBI assistant - phone operator (uncredited)
Claire Whitney	...	Wife in movie audience (uncredited)
Matt Willis	...	First Sheriff (uncredited)
Marjorie Wood	...	Farmer's wife (uncredited)
Will Wright	...	J.C. Lormans, Company official (uncredited)
Barton Yarborough	...	First FBI man at Mason's house (uncredited)
Duke York	...	Deputy sheriff (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Peter Viertel		(original screenplay) &
Joan Harrison		(original screenplay) &
Dorothy Parker		(original screenplay)
Alfred Hitchcock		(story) uncredited

Produced by
Frank Lloyd	....	producer
Jack H. Skirball	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Frank Skinner		(musical score)

Cinematography by
Joseph A. Valentine		(director of photography) (as Joseph Valentine)

Film Editing by
Otto Ludwig
Edward Curtiss		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Frank	....	assistant director
Vernon Keays	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert F. Boyle	....	associate art director (as Robert Boyle)
Dorothea Holt	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
William Hedgcock	....	sound technician

Special Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Russell Saunders	....	stunt double: Robert Cummings (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunt double: Norman Lloyd at the Statue of Liberty (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James V. King	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Virgil Summers	....	best boy (uncredited)
Charles Van Enger	....	cinematographer: second unit (uncredited)

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director

Other crew
Adele Cannon	....	set continuity

Production Companies

• Frank Lloyd Productions (for)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Realart Pictures (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Filmes Alcântara (Portugal)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Universal Films (1949) (France) (theatrical)
• Universal Films (1949) (France) (16 mm)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2001) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2001) (VHS)

Other Companies

• David O. Selznick Productions Inc.  Alfred Hitchcock through the courtesy of

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate no. 8268) | France:U | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:16 | Ireland:PG | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Frank Lloyd Productions

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Alfred Hitchcock]A man visiting the newsstand in front of the drug store where Barry Kane is taken upon arriving in New York City.

Goofs:

Continuity: The close-up of the Soda City calendar shows a much heavier coating of spider webs than the previous shot.

Quotes:

Patricia "Pat" Martin: Barry, why couldn't I have met you a hundred years ago? On a beach somewhere?
Barry Kane: Bathing suits looked awfully funny a hundred years ago. I bet you'd look beautiful though.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Who Is Norman Lloyd? (2007)

It may not be top shelf Hitchcock but 'Saboteur' is still a very entertaining thriller.

'Saboteur' isn't one of Hitchcock's best known movies but it shouldn't be completely dismissed for that reason. It's a very entertaining "innocent man on the run" thriller, a theme he had previously used to great success in 'The 39 Steps', and would later recycle in one of his most popular movies 'North By Northwest' (and one which still gets used time and time again by Hollywood - see 'The Fugitive', 'Enemy Of The State', 'Minority Report' and countless others). Some people slam Robert Cummings (who later appeared in Hitchcock's 'Dial M For Murder') as being a bit lightweight, but I think he's actually pretty good as a leading man, and Priscilla Lane ('Arsenic And Old Lace') is also not bad, and the two do show some on screen chemistry. Of course with more charismatic leads 'Saboteur' would have been greatly improved, but as it is it's good enough. One actor in the cast I think is really terrific is Otto Kruger ('Murder, My Sweet') who plays Tobin, one of Hitchcock's best ever villains. 'Saboteur' is action packed and keeps things interesting. There's a good sequence with a traveling circus, memorable bit parts from a truck driver and a blind man, and the climax is great stuff and vintage Hitch. If you are new to Hitchcock I could name at least a dozen of his movies to watch before this one, but if you've seen his "greatest hits" try 'Saboteur', it's lots of fun.