Secret Agent (1936)

After three British agents are assigned to assassinate a mysterious German spy during World War I, two of them become ambivalent when their duty to the mission conflicts with their consciences.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Campbell Dixon (play), W. Somerset Maugham (novel),

Stars:

John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Gielgud	...	Richard Ashenden / Brodie
Peter Lorre	...	The General
Madeleine Carroll	...	Elsa Carrington
Robert Young	...	Robert Marvin
Percy Marmont	...	Caypor
Florence Kahn	...	Mrs. Caypor
Charles Carson	...	'R'
Lilli Palmer	...	Lilli

Storyline

During the first world war, novelist Edgar Brodie is sent to Switzerland by the Intelligence Service. He has to kill a German agent. During the mission he meets a fake general first and then Elsa Carrington who helps him in his duty.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | switzerland | murder | assassin | fire alarm | 

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Taglines:

Mystery - Intrigue - Romance, burn a flaming trail among the gay capitals of Europe

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

15 June 1936 (USA)

Also Known As:

Laugh Track: Secret Agent

Filming Locations:

Gainsborough Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Full Range Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was Michael Redgrave's film debut. He played the part of an Army Captain and appears in two scenes. The first is near the beginning of the film when he appears at the end of the scene between Ashenden and R. He also appears near the end of the film when he is introduced to Colonel Anderson in the sauna.

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Goofs

When you first see the hotel bathroom, the toilet roll is held on its holder with the end hanging at the back of the toilet roll hanger. When 'The General', however, goes on a strop for not having a wife 'issued' to him, the toilet roll is hanging with the end on the front of the toilet roll holder.

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Quotes

The General: General Pompellio Montezuma De- oh, we've already met.

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Connections

Featured in Paul Merton Looks at Alfred Hitchcock (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Bulgar Folk Song"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Arranged by Hubert Bath

User Reviews

Not quite ready for Hollywood

Though definitely one of the better films of Hitchcock's British Primitive period, it's still hard to see the hand of the master craftsman who would make "Rebecca" in this interesting but clumsy spy melodrama. The two major problems in this film are John Gielgud, looking distinctly uncomfortable in a dashing leading man role that would have gone down much better with Robert Donat or Laurence Oliver, and Peter Lorre, not able to do much with the grotesque, embarrassing Mexican blackface minstrel routine the film forces on him. The film's saving graces are Robert Young as Gielgud's unsettlingly suave American rival, and Madeline Carroll, looking and sounding uncannily like Miranda Richardson as perhaps the most uncharacteristically vivacious of Hitchcock's cool blonde heroines.