Foreign Correspondent (1940)

On the eve of WW2, a young American reporter tries to expose enemy agents in London.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Charles Bennett (screenplay), Joan Harrison (screenplay),

Stars:

Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joel McCrea	...	John Jones
Laraine Day	...	Carol Fisher
Herbert Marshall	...	Stephen Fisher
George Sanders	...	Ffolliott
Albert Bassermann	...	Van Meer (as Albert Basserman)
Robert Benchley	...	Stebbins
Edmund Gwenn	...	Rowley
Eduardo Ciannelli	...	Mr. Krug (as Eduardo Cianelli)
Harry Davenport	...	Mr. Powers
Martin Kosleck	...	Tramp
Frances Carson	...	Mrs. Sprague
Ian Wolfe	...	Stiles
Charles Wagenheim	...	Assassin
Eddie Conrad	...	Latvian (as Edward Conrad)
Charles Halton	...	Bradley

Storyline

Johnny Jones is an action reporter on a New York newspaper. The editor appoints him European correspondent because he is fed up with the dry, reports he currently gets. Jones' first assignment is to get the inside story on a secret treaty agreed between two European countries by the famous diplomat, Mr. Van Meer. However things don't go to plan and Jones enlists the help of a young woman to help track down a group of spies.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | editor | conspiracy | foreign correspondent | party | 

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Taglines:

The thrill spectacle of the year!

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Genres:

Mystery | Romance | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Dutch Latvian

Release Date:

16 August 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Personal History

Filming Locations:

Long Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Wanger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 98 min (uncut version: 120') (cut) (uncut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shooting was completed on May 29, 1940, after which Alfred Hitchcock made a visit to England. He returned on July 3 with the word that the Germans were expected to start bombing at any time. Ben Hecht was hurriedly called in and wrote the tacked-on final scene set at a London radio station. It was filmed on July 5, and the real-life bombing started on July 10, 1940.

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Goofs

After the crash, as the survivors spot the American ship steaming toward them, the matte line between the moving water and the sky can easily be seen.

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Quotes

Captain of Mohican: Mr. Haverstock, I want a talk with you.
Johnny Jones: Yes sir?
Captain of Mohican: I just found out you're a newspaperman.
Johnny Jones: I guess that's right.
Captain of Mohican: Oh, it is, eh? Why didn't you tell me that when I questioned you? You lied to me, sir!
Johnny Jones: My dear captain, when you've been shot down in a British plane by a German destroyer, 300 miles off the coast of England, latitude 45, and have been hanging on to a half-submerged wing for hours, waiting to drown, with half a dozen other stricken human beings, you're liable to forget you're a ...

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Connections

Featured in Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius (1999)

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Soundtracks

"The Star Spangled Banner"
(1814) (uncredited)
Music by John Stafford Smith
Lyrics by Francis Scott Key
In the score and sung by unspecified voices at the end

User Reviews

Another Hitchcock crowd-pleaser

The first half hour of Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent" looks like it can either be a light romantic comedy or a oddly fashioned drama about current events. But then, there's this scene in the rain, where our hero, played with energy by Joel McCrea, attends a crowded political meeting. McCrea notices his new friend, an elderly ambassador acts vacant and glassy eyed. Then, this mysterious photographer steps in. The photographer has next to his camera, a gun.... At this point "Foreign Correspondent" becomes an inventive chase thriller, darting across the audiences' eyes at a berserk chase. This was the first time that Hitchcock had all of Hollywood's tools at his disposal, and what a spellbinding, constantly fun classic came of it. I look forward to this film making it's DVD debut!