IMDb > Secret Agent (1936)
Secret Agent
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Secret Agent (1936) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
Secret Agent (1936) -- A French writer's neighbor becomes his lover in a spy-novel fantasy.
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.

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   2,956 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Contact:
View company contact information for Secret Agent on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
15 June 1936 (USA) more
Tagline:
Mystery - Intrigue - Romance, burn a flaming trail among the gay capitals of Europe more
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Creaky, but highly enjoyable. more (49 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

John Gielgud ... Richard Ashenden

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
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Laugh Track: Secret Agent (USA) (video title (redubbed comic version))
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Runtime:
86 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Finland:(Banned) (1936) (original rating) | Finland:K-12 (1995) | Finland:K-16 (1936) (re-rating) | Australia:G (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | UK:U | Norway:16 (1937)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
John Gielgud filmed this during the day while appearing on stage in "Romeo and Juliet" opposite Peggy Ashcroft and Laurence Olivier in the evening. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Dates given in the story are out of sequence. After starting "May 10, 1916" (title), a telegram received later appears to be dated "3/4/16". A newspaper near the end of the film is dated "Tuesday, September 21, 1916," when that date actually occurred on a Thursday. Afterwards a postcard bears the date of "April 2." more
Quotes:
The General: General Pompellio Montezuma De- oh, we've already met. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Breach (2007) more

FAQ

Didn't Hitchcock make a movie based on Joseph Conrad's novel, "The Secret Agent"?
Why are the picture and sound so bad?
more
15 out of 17 people found the following comment useful.
Creaky, but highly enjoyable., 10 December 1999
7/10
Author: gridoon

"Secret Agent" seems to be one of Hitchcock's most (unjustly) overlooked films. It may be flawed and technically creaky, but Hitchcock's talent is evident throughout. It's made with precision and has several first-rate sequences (the one involving a dog's howling is probably the greatest). Lorre overacts unnecessarily in this film, but the other actors are effective and convincing. Gielgud brings depth to a character whose motives aren't always clearly explained by the script. The plot, after the first big twist, gets quite predictable but still sustains the viewer's interest. Overall, this is an absorbing film and the director's fans will definitely appreciate it.

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more (49 total)

Message Boards

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The Mexican's/General's Reason *SPOILER* leestu
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