Foreign Correspondent

Foreign Correspondent
1940 - Walter Wanger Productions/United Artists
Directed By Alfred Hitchcock



SYNOPSIS

On the eve of World War II, a New York crime reporter (Joel McCrea) is sent overseas to dig up anything he can on the coming conflict. He soon finds himself in over his head, wrapped up in an organization seeking peace... that is really a front for enemy agents.



MY THOUGHTS

Another masterpiece from the master!

You get all the usual touches from a Hitchcock film here. Great camera angles, strong musical score, great editing, suspense, all with a wry sense of humor.

This time Hitch's 'everyman' hero is played by Joel McCrea. He's as good as James Stewart, Cary Grant and all the others who played the Average Joe who gets caught up in a big mess. The supporting players are all top notch as well and everyone gels well together. It's hard to single out a standout performance (or even a weak one,) as they are all equally well done.

The plot is a bit complicated, with many twists and turns, but is never confusing. In a lesser film maker's hands it could have been a mess. The suspense and intrigue build more and more with each successive scene without ever letting up steam (or giving the viewer a chance to breathe!)... and it all builds to an impressive climax.
The climactic scenes aboard the airplane are the best I've ever seen of an impending crash. It's one of the most suspenseful 'edge of the seat' sequences in Hitchcock's entire career (and that's really saying something!)

Foreign Correspondent features one of Hitchcock's most overt political messages. The concluding "America is the last hope" speech and playing the "Star Spangled Banner" during the closing credits are almost done over-the-top, but really aren't much different from many other films from the World War II era, though this predates the U.S. entry into the war.

The film was Hitchcock's second film after coming to America (to avoid the upcoming chaos.) His first film, Rebecca, won Best Picture. Foreign Correspondent is equal to or even better than that film. It's not one of Hitchcock's most known films, but is definitely worth seeking out. You cannot go wrong.