Hitchcock’s Fine ‘Foreign Correspondent’ 1940

 

Is reporter Joel McCrea (R) tilting at windmills? George Sanders & Laraine Day
 certainly wonder, in Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 film, "Foreign Correspondent."

Rebecca was Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 American breakthrough smash hit, and deservedly so. Yet Foreign Correspondent, the British director’s other 1940 film, was just as fine in its own right.

Director Alfred Hitchcock making his customary cameo, here with star Joel McCrea,
in 1940's "Foreign Correspondent."

Foreign Correspondent is imaginative suspense mixed with wartime espionage, and makes for rousing entertainment. Some of Hitchcock’s favorite film themes are represented in Foreign Correspondent: the everyman thrown into intrigue; the “MacGuffin,” Hitch-speak for the thing everyone is after; the sympathetic villain; the imposters; sudden violence; suspense set pieces against memorable backdrops.

Joel McCrea as John Jones grows from brash, boyish reporter to a fine
"Foreign Correspondent," Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 espionage film.

Joel McCrea was cast when Gary Cooper turned the title role down. Though Coop had his own style, McCrea was a better choice, a more open and spontaneous actor. As John Jones, Joel’s crime reporter turned foreign correspondent, who’s given the handle Huntley Haverstock. McCrea runs the gamut from brash young reporter, to flirtatious fellow, and serious correspondent, who relies on his gut instincts. McCrea’s natural style ages well and he was a precursor to William Holden’s charming, solid all-American guy.

Loraine Day was just 19 when she played love interest Mary Fisher in 1940's
"Foreign Correspondent."

Loraine Day, in an early role as Carol Fisher, is McCrea’s love interest. Day does well enough, but is definitely a product of her film era. Herbert Marshall is Stephen Fisher, Carol’s father, and revealed to be the villain half way through, another classic Hitchcock move. Marshall is quite empathetic as the flawed man, and had the ability to play both noble and nasty men. George Sanders is Scott ffolliatt, another correspondent who aids McCrea’s character on his mission. George is so young here, and playing not so jaded as he was often later cast. Albert Bassermann is a human “MacGuffin,” in this case, Van Meer, a captive politician. He is excellent as the prisoner worn down by torture for his political secrets, but not before Van Meer gives a stellar speech to the villains. Robert Benchley is the urbane fellow reporter Stebbens. Pre-Santa Claus Edmund Gwenn is a darkly comic villain who tries with determination to rub out McCrea’s reporter. Eduardo Ciannelli is the creepy main villain, Krug, who has a very good reason for wearing turtlenecks! Harry Davenport, Doctor Meade of GWTW fame, is no-nonsense as McCrea’s editor.

Albert Bassermann learned to speak English phonetically for his role as Van Meer, here with Joel McCrea, in 1940's "Foreign Correspondent."

The production of Foreign Correspondent is most atmospheric: The photography, the tight story, and special effects, which often depicts overcast days, pouring rain, and pitch black nights. There’s a sweeping score by Alfred Newman, William Cameron Menzies created the amazing set piece—that stunning plane crash, all aided by Rudolph Mate’s painterly cinematography.

The memorable war time message has been seen as a weak aspect of the movie. Quite to the contrary, I think. This was the cross roads the United States was at, whether to commit in joining WWII. England was starting to get attacked when Foreign Correspondent was released. Just over a year after this film’s release, the US was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor. So, the film’s message that the enemy was coming closer was more than apt.

Here is Joel McCrea’s Foreign Correspondent, written by Ben Hecht, giving the word to American audiences in the film’s finale:

“Don't tune me out, hang on a while—this is a big story, and you're part of it. It's too late to do anything here now except stand in the dark and let them come... as if the lights were all out everywhere, except in America. Keep those lights burning, cover them with steel, ring them with guns, build a canopy of battleships and bombing planes around them. Hello, America, hang on to your lights: they're the only lights left in the world!”

 

As London is beginning to get bombed, McCrea's reporter makes his rousing speech. When "Foreign Correspondent" was released in July 1940, it was really happening.

Producer Walter Wanger of Algiers, stayed out of Hitch’s hair in Foreign Correspondent, unlike his boss, producer David O. Selznick, who drove him crazy on Rebecca and other films. Hitchcock brings his distinct point of view to each aspect of the story, whether it’s the suspense, human drama, romance, or leavening humor. In his second year of US filmmaking, Alfred Hitchcock had arrived with his two 1940 films. Foreign Correspondent is a worthy precursor to the later Notorious, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and North by Northwest.

In Alfred Hitchcock's second year in Hollywood, he directed 1940 releases "Rebecca" & "Foreign Correspondent."

Here’s my look at Hitchcock’s last hurrah for sheer entertainment, North by Northwest: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/08/north-by-northwest-1959.html