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IMDbPro

Foreign Correspondent

  • 1940
  • Passed
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
22K
YOUR RATING
Laraine Day and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:22
1 Video
66 Photos
ActionRomanceThriller

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

  • Director
    • Alfred Hitchcock
  • Writers
    • Charles Bennett
    • Joan Harrison
    • James Hilton
  • Stars
    • Joel McCrea
    • Laraine Day
    • Herbert Marshall
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    22K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett
      • Joan Harrison
      • James Hilton
    • Stars
      • Joel McCrea
      • Laraine Day
      • Herbert Marshall
    • 175User reviews
    • 73Critic reviews
    • 89Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 6 Oscars
      • 1 win & 6 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:22
    Watch Trailer

    Photos66

    George Sanders, Robert Benchley, and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Albert Bassermann, Martin Kosleck, and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Laraine Day and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Martin Kosleck and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Laraine Day and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Laraine Day and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Martin Kosleck and Joel McCrea in Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Foreign Correspondent (1940)
    Foreign Correspondent (1940)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joel McCrea
    Joel McCrea
    • John Jones
    Laraine Day
    Laraine Day
    • Carol Fisher
    Herbert Marshall
    Herbert Marshall
    • Stephen Fisher
    George Sanders
    George Sanders
    • Scott ffolliott
    Albert Bassermann
    Albert Bassermann
    • Van Meer
    • (as Albert Basserman)
    Robert Benchley
    Robert Benchley
    • Stebbins
    Edmund Gwenn
    Edmund Gwenn
    • Rowley
    Eduardo Ciannelli
    Eduardo Ciannelli
    • Mr. Krug
    • (as Eduardo Cianelli)
    Harry Davenport
    Harry Davenport
    • Mr. Powers
    Martin Kosleck
    Martin Kosleck
    • Tramp
    Frances Carson
    Frances Carson
    • Mrs. Sprague
    Ian Wolfe
    Ian Wolfe
    • Stiles
    Charles Wagenheim
    Charles Wagenheim
    • Assassin
    Eddie Conrad
    Eddie Conrad
    • Latvian
    • (as Edward Conrad)
    Charles Halton
    Charles Halton
    • Bradley
    Barbara Pepper
    Barbara Pepper
    • Dorine
    Emory Parnell
    Emory Parnell
    • Captain John Mark
    Roy Gordon
    Roy Gordon
    • Mr. Brood
    • Director
      • Alfred Hitchcock
    • Writers
      • Charles Bennett
      • Joan Harrison
      • James Hilton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Shooting was completed on May 29, 1940, after which director 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.
    • Goofs
      As the purser on the ship tells John and Carol that he has no more cabins, the right side of his fake moustache can be seen sliding down. He surreptitiously pushes back it in place, but as they turn back for a second try and he continues speaking, the moustache slides down again.
    • Quotes

      John Jones: I'm in love with you, and I want to marry you.

      Carol Fisher: I'm in love with you, and I want to marry you.

      John Jones: Hmm... that cuts down our love scene quite a bit, doesn't it?

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits prologue: To those intrepid ones who went across the seas to be the eyes and ears of America... To those forthright ones who early saw the clouds of war while many of us at home were seeing rainbows... To those clear-headed ones who now stand like recording angels among the dead and dying... To the Foreign Correspondents - this motion picture is dedicated.
    • Alternate versions
      Due to its political theme, no German distributor was willing to show the film until 1960. Then, after the huge success of Psycho (1960), Constantin Film released the film with a running time of ca. 98 Minutes; approximately 22 minutes were cut, mainly Nazi-sequences. ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen) showed the film in 1995 for the first time ever in Germany in a newly-dubbed uncut version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Le contrôle de l'univers (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Rule Britannia
      (1740) (uncredited)

      Music by Thomas Augustine Arne

      Background music played as a ship pulls out of the harbor

    User reviews175

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Entertaining, Exciting, and Masterfully Constructed
    While not as well-known today as some of his later films, Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller "Foreign Correspondent" is entertaining, exciting, and masterfully constructed. Though lacking the star power of some of the great director's more famous movies, the cast is very good, the settings are wonderfully conceived, and the story and writing keep the viewer's attention at all times. It has everything we hope for from Hitchcock: action, suspense, and a good dose of humor.

    The plot is a complicated one, beginning when American reporter Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea) is sent to Europe just before the outbreak of World War II. Expected to send back news about the possibility of war, Jones stumbles across an espionage ring that is using kidnapping and murder in an attempt to get important government secrets for use in the coming war. The action goes from England to Holland and back to England, with Jones constantly escaping from danger as he tries to get the details of the spy plot for his newspaper. It does take some effort to follow everything that is happening, but there are many action sequences and a lot of good writing - with many fine touches of humor - that make it easy to pay attention.

    In the lead role, McCrea performs with the easy-going understatement that typifies the heroes of Hitchcock's earlier films. Laraine Day is pleasant if unspectacular as McCrea's romantic interest, whose father (played nicely by Herbert Marshall) is also one of the key figures on the international scene. The supporting cast also has some fine actors. George Sanders for once gets to play a good guy, Robert Benchley is very funny as McCrea's fellow foreign correspondent, and Albert Basserman is touching as an old diplomat who has seen too much of the world's troubles.

    But it is the action sequences and the settings that really make the film. Hitchcock's expert hand can be seen in almost every setting, and he displays a wealth of creative ideas here equal to any of his films. Particularly good are the memorable windmill scenes and the exciting climactic sequence in mid-ocean. This final sequence is not only thrilling, it also perfectly completes all of the film's action and themes.

    "Foreign Correspondent" contains plenty of excitement, humor, and suspense, along with some of Hitchcock's best set pieces. It is highly recommended.
    helpful•77
    11
    • Snow Leopard
    • May 25, 2001

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    FAQ2

    • Is this film in the public domain?
    • Some copies look terrible. Which is the best version to buy?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 16, 1940 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Dutch
      • German
      • Latvian
    • Also known as
      • Imposter
    • Filming locations
      • Amsterdam, Netherlands(Huntley Haverstock's hotel)
    • Production company
      • Walter Wanger Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $1,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $623
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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