American crime reporter John Jones is reassigned to Europe as a foreign correspondent to cover the imminent war. When he walks into the middle of an assassination and stumbles on a spy ring, he seeks help from a beautiful politician’s daughter and an urbane English journalist to uncover the truth.
Direction
Hitchcock's last under contract—he was already packing for Selznick.
Practical Effects
That plane crash? Miniatures and a full-scale water tank. No CGI, all nerve.
Cinematography
Windmill shadows and rain-soaked Dutch streets—pure noir poetry.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Joel McCrea
John Jones
Laraine Day
Carol Fisher
Herbert Marshall
Stephen Fisher
George Sanders
Scott ffolliott
Albert Bassermann
Van Meer
Robert Benchley
Stebbins
Edmund Gwenn
Rowley
Eduardo Ciannelli
Mr. Krug
Harry Davenport
Mr. Powers
Martin Kosleck
Tramp
Frances Carson
Mrs. Sprague
Ian Wolfe
Stiles
Charles Wagenheim
Assassin
Eddie Conrad
Latvian
Charles Halton
Bradley
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released in August 1940 while London was being bombed; Hitchcock added the final radio speech after principal photography to explicitly rally American support for Britain.
Hitchcock shot this simultaneously with Rebecca, commuting between sets—Foreign Correspondent was his contractual obligation, Rebecca was his passion project, and somehow both slapped.
US
