Alfred Hitchcock, by name alone, evokes emotions and memories for movie fans everywhere -- even those who have never seen his work. Consider the famous shower scene in Psycho, Hitchcock's best-known picture, referenced and parodied so often that it has become part of the collective unconscious. Because of Psycho (and to a lesser extent, The Birds), people unfamiliar with the master's work often pigeonhole him as a horror director who packs his films with bone-chilling violence. As any Hitchcock admirer knows, this assessment is way off the mark. Most of his films served up suspense, not terror, with a healthy dose of humor on the side. The more you know about the smart thrillers in the Hitchcock filmography, the easier it becomes to banish the horror myth.

Foreign Correspondent is one of those suspenseful gems, released in 1940 on the heels of the immensely successful Rebecca. Foreign Correspondent was only Hitchcock's second American film, and in 1941 it competed with Rebecca at the Academy Awards for the coveted Best Picture prize -- and lost. Subsequently, the ambitious and operatic Rebecca has been remembered with more affection than Foreign Correspondent, but for my money the latter is a more agreeable picture.

In Foreign Correspondent, a savvy but somewhat inexperienced American crime reporter named Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea) takes an assignment as an overseas correspondent just before the outbreak of World War II. Upon his arrival in Europe, Jones becomes entangled in the murderous activities of a spy ring when he witnesses the assassination of a Dutch statesman (Albert Basserman). Jones chases the assassin from the crowded city streets of Amsterdam to the wide-open plains where he identifies a very suspicious windmill containing the supposedly assassinated statesman. When all evidence in the windmill disappears, Jones try to uncover the plot while the murderous spies attempt to silence him. A deliciously suspenseful scene takes place on the observation deck of Westminster Catholic Cathedral as a hired killer targets Jones for a deadly fall. Later, an airplane carrying our heroes is shot down over the Atlantic Ocean, and the plane's dramatic crash is one of the great early special effects shots.

This picture is packed with small delights. I cheered as the sneaky reporter surreptitiously phoned in his story to the newspaper even as the military is forcing him to remain silent. Fans of Hitchcock's earlier British films The 39 Steps and The Lady Vanishes will be enthralled by the witty wordplay between Jones and the patriotic woman who joins his investigation (Laraine Day). The supporting players also receive high marks, especially Robert Benchley as the lazy reporter Stebbens and George Sanders as a charming writer with the bizarre surname ffolliott.

Less delightful is the tacked-on secondary resolution of Foreign Correspondent: as bombs rain down on London, Jones makes a bold radio address calling for the US to intervene in the European conflict. This pro-war statement now feels strange and dated, and leaves audience members feeling disoriented as a largely apolitical film suddenly takes a side in the political debate.

The odd conclusion notwithstanding, Foreign Correspondent is a wonderful little picture. Recommended to Hitchcock fans and those who enjoy a classy thriller.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older