Alfred Hitchcock's 1940 thriller was so effective that the Nazis called it a masterpiece.
In short: Before the United States entered World War II, Alfred Hitchcock directed a high-stakes spy thriller that captured the anxiety of a continent on the brink. Despite its critical success and a nomination for Best Picture, the film was a financial loss that left a lasting mark on wartime cinema.
Released in August 1940, Foreign Correspondent was Alfred Hitchcock's second Hollywood production. The film follows an American reporter, John Jones, who is sent to Europe to cover the brewing conflict, only to become entangled in a complex conspiracy involving a Dutch diplomat and a secret treaty clause. The production was notoriously difficult, involving a rotating cast of writers and a budget that resulted in a loss of $369,973, despite its popularity in Britain. Hitchcock originally sought Gary Cooper and Joan Fontaine for the leads, but both were unavailable, leading to the casting of Joel McCrea and Laraine Day.
The film is remembered for its technical ambition, particularly the climactic plane crash sequence designed by William Cameron Menzies. Hitchcock achieved this effect using rear-projected footage and water tanks hidden behind rice paper, which burst upon impact. The ending was famously revised in July 1940, shortly after Hitchcock returned from England and learned of the imminent threat of bombing in London. Ben Hecht wrote a new final scene set in a radio station, which presciently mirrored the real-life broadcasts of Edward R. Murrow and urged American listeners to keep the lights burning.
While some contemporary critics dismissed the film as a glorified B movie, it received six Academy Award nominations and earned praise for its blend of suspense and political urgency. Its impact was felt even in Germany; Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels labeled it a first-class production, acknowledging its power to influence public opinion. Today, the film is recognized as a significant entry in Hitchcock's filmography, noted for its memorable set pieces and its role in reflecting the precarious state of the world during the early stages of the Battle of Britain.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Foreign Correspondent (film)
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