Classic 40s Movie: “Foreign Correspondent”
September is Classic 40s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Doc Kane.
Movie Title: Foreign Correspondent
Year: 1940
Writers: Robert Benchley, Charles Bennett, Harold Clurman, Joan Harrison, Ben Hecht, James Hilton, John Howard Lawson, John Lee Mahin, Richard Maibaum, and Budd Schulberg. Bennett, Benchley, Harrison, and Hilton the only writers credited in the finished film (as per the film’s entry at Wikipedia).
(The film was originally to be based on a book written by reporter Vincent Sheean who had experienced many of the changing events in Europe at this time. Producer Walter Wagner had purchased the rights, but attempts at adapting it by over a dozen writers failed. He finally turned it over to Hitchcock to flesh out the concept. Apparently the film cost about 1.5 million, with $250K going just to the writers. Hitch’s wife was also said to have contributed to the screenplay.)
Lead Actors: Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
IMDb Plot Summary: Fed up with the poor quality of news reporting he’s getting from his reporters in Europe the editor of the New York Morning Globe, Mr. Powers, sends crime reporter John Jones to London to find out what is really going on there on the eve of war. Jones is told to make contact with a well-known diplomat, Van Meer, who may be negotiating arrangements that could have a direct impact on whether war is declared. Jones meets Van Meer and also Stephen Fisher the leader of a peace movement and Fisher’s attractive daughter Carol. When Van Meer is apparently assassinated in front of him, Jones sets off after the gunman only to find that the real Van Meer has been kidnapped and is being held by Nazi spies. Jones tries to get to bottom of what is going on but it all comes to a head on a flight home over the Atlantic.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 40s Movie
A few reasons:
- My mom loves it.
- Hitchock’s first American film.
- It has clear propaganda properties.
- Demonstrative of Hitchock’s interest in pushing production values.
- Fantastic blend of thriller and comedy.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie
In this scene, Scott ffolliott arrives at Stephen Fisher’s house to deliver the news that Fisher’s daughter has been “kidnapped,” and that he’s played a part in her disappearance. He’s finally got the leverage needed to garner an admission from Fisher of his traitorous intentions, and sets in motion a plan that will secure the release of diplomat, Van Meer. It’s the scene we’ve been waiting for, and Fisher is about to break. He reaches for his pen to write down the address ffolliott is pushing for. Then Fisher’s eyes shift slightly … and, a bark from the house dog …
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie
I almost feel this movie is more a comedy than a thriller! There are many laugh-out-loud moments in this film, and the one below is my favorite — particularly since it unexpectedly breaks the tension in a torture scene.
Scott ffolliott: [entering a room full of spies] Pardon me gentlemen, I represent the Jupiter Life Assurance, could I interest you in a small policy?
A gun, and the woman holding it on him, follow.
Mr. Krug: [angrily] Why did you bring him up here?
Taking gun and giving it to another confederate to point at ffolliott.
Female conspirator: I didn’t know what to do, he tried to pass by!
Scott ffolliott: I would gladly relieve the young lady of this embarrassment, but you know how women are with firearms, they have no sense of timing. Now look, I’ll just sit here and you carry on with whatever you were doing. Don’t mind me, I sometimes sit like this for hours.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie
1. There are several notable MacGuffins in the film. Here are three that leapt out at me:
- Clause 27, which drives the entire plotline surrounding Van Meer, yet is never elucidated.
- The house dog, which seems to exist solely to introduce the arrival of Fisher’s daughter very late in the film.
- The disappearing bowler hat, which leads Jones to discover the mystery of the windmill.
2. The changed meaning of the “Hotel Europe” sign after Jones’ touches it when escaping from his room.
3. All the little “escapes” Hitchock gives his characters with just the slightest advantage of timing. Classic Hitch.
Hitch talking about the film on the Dick Cavett show:
Thanks, Doc! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
We already have a set of classic 5os movies, 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on 40s movies. And thanks to the GITS community, we’ve got 30 movies in the works, one for each day of the month!
Those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts. If you haven’t sent yours to me, please do so as soon as you can!!!
Act of Violence — Eric Rodriguez
Arsenic and Old Lace — Katha
Bicycle Thieves — Megaen Kelly
Brief Encounter — Emily Bonkoski
Casablanca — Paul Graunke
Double Indemnity — Susan Winchell
Five Graves to Cairo — Jeff Gibson
Foreign Correspondent — Doc Kane
His Girl Friday — John Henderson
It’s a Wonderful Life — David Laudenslager
Key Largo — Will King
Laura — Melinda Mahaffey Icden
Les enfants du paradis — Brendan Howley
Mrs. Miniver — Traci Nell Peterson
Notorious — Christine Henton
Now Voyager — Melissa Privette
Out of the Past — Brantley Aufill
Rope — Lance Morgan
The Bank Dick — Bob Saenz
The Best Years of Their Lives — Shaun Parker
The Big Sleep — Ipsita Barik
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir — Annie Wood
The Long Voyage Home — Vincent Martini
The Lost Weekend — Liz Warner
The Maltese Falcon — Roy Gordon
The Ox-Bow Incident — Clay Mitchell
The Philadelphia Story — Kristen Demaline
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock — David Joyner
The Third Man — Harry Cooke
To Have and Have Not — Felicity Flesher
Thanks to everyone who steps up for this ongoing project!
For the original post explaining the series, go here.
For all of the 40s movies featured in the series, go here.
Click REPLY and see you in comments about today’s classic 40s movie!