Secret Agent (1936)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

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

Release Date:

15 June 1936 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

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

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.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Switzerland | Murder | Assassin | WWI

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

Also Known As:

Laugh Track: Secret Agent (USA) (video title (redubbed comic version))

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

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)

Filming Locations:

Frutigen, Kanton Bern, Switzerland

Company:

Gaumont British Picture Corporation

Trivia:

Alfred Hitchcock convinced John Gielgud to play the lead by describing the hero as a modern day Hamlet. Gielgud, however, ended up hating that his character was an enigma and felt Hitchcock made the villain more charming than the hero.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ashenden's resignation letter changes between scenes. The first time we see it, it reads: "Now that I have resigned / if you want a successor for / me I can give you the / name of a good reliable butcher" When Carrington later looks at it and cuts it up, it reads: "Now that I have resigned / if you want a successor / for me I can give you / the name of a good / reliable butcher"

Quotes:

[repeated line]
The General: [every time he introduces himself] General Pompellio Montezuma De La Vilia De Conde De La Rue.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Breach (2007)

Spies story with suspense and romance by the master of thriller

This espionage film concerns about Ashenden(John Gielgud),a secret agent is sent Switzerland to kill an unknown enemy spy.There he deals with various personages,as a quirky Mejican general(Peter Lorre),a smart gentleman(Robert Young) and a gorgeous woman(Madeleine Carrol) who pose as his wife, causing the classic loving triangle(Gielgud,Carrol,Young).The movie is based on Somerset Maughan's book titled: Ashenden.

The picture blends action,love story,comedy,adventures,thriller,suspense and is quite entertained . Hitchcock said which as the film is developed in Switzerland,it's plenty of typical elements as : folkloric dances,the Alpes,lagoons and a chocolate factory .Besides contains the usual Hitch's touches as the elegant,intelligent baddie(repeating in posterior films as James Mason in ¨North by Northwest¨),the enticing blonde(as later Grace Kelly,Kim Novak),the filming into the train(a vehicle very agreeable for the director).It's an uneven movie and Hitch wasn't proud but had excessive irony as he said in the famous interview with Francois Truffaut. Rating : Good,well worth watching.The motion picture will like to Hitchcock fans.Essential and indispensable seeing for Hitch lovers.