Foreign Correspondent

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Foreign Correspondent

Released Aug 16, 1940

1h 59m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

95%

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44 Reviews

81%

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5,000+ Ratings

Crime reporter John Jones (Joel McCrea) is turning in nothing but dull copy. His editor, unhappy with his work, hopes a change of scenery will be the thing Jones needs to get back on track. Re-assigned to Europe as a foreign correspondent, Jones is very much out of his element. When he stumbles on a spy ring, he feels ill-equipped to unravel the truth alone and he seeks help from a beautiful politician's daughter (Laraine Day) and an urbane English journalist (George Sanders).

Critics Consensus

Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent features a winning combination of international intrigue, comic relief, and some of the legendary director's most memorable set pieces.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Heavy-handed but still poignant patriotism in this Hitchcock thriller.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 3, 2020

Full Review

Keith Phipps

The Dissolve

It's such an entertaining film that it's almost possible to forget its didactic agenda, which is certainly part of the point.

Rated: 4.5/5

Feb 20, 2014

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

This film contains one of Hitchcock's most famous set pieces -- an assassination in the rain -- but otherwise remains a second-rate effort, as immensely enjoyable as it is.

Mar 27, 2009

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

This is Hitch doing a fleet, action-packed thriller. His love of set-pieces and landmarks makes the most of London and Holland, where the windmills become a natural location for dangerous business.

Jan 6, 2024

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The film can be seen as more than simply escapism but an entrenched anti-Nazi statement by a seemingly apolitical filmmaker.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 5, 2022

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Though suffering from the effect of too many cooks in the writing kitchen, it's a title as filled with plot twists as it is wit, as well as Hitchcock's signature elaborate set pieces.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 12, 2020

Full Review

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David S

I love this film- one of my 3 favorite Hitchcock films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/28/24

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Daniel C. M

Great suspense and direction as expected from Hitchcock; alongside some nice comedy. Unfortunaly, it has many flaws in it's script and drags itself for way too long; making it a pretty boring, formulaic and cliche picture. The acting is ok. Rebecca -- which came out in the same year also by Sir Alfred -- is 10 minutes longer -- making it up for 2 hours and 10 minutes total -- and feels like not even 90 minutes.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/30/24

Full Review

Audience Member

I always remember when watching movies from the distant past, what my father would say to me about the '30s and '40s; one can never really understand how those times were for people, unless you went through it. It's easy to underestimate the level of anxiety and desperation.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/13/24

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Georgan G

I adore Alfred Hitchcock's movies. Had not seen this one in many years. Great Hollywood sets for plane crashes, falls from high buildings and romance amid the beginning of WWII.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/05/24

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Lee C

Hitchcock was ahead of his time, especially when it came to timing. This moves along at a fast pace, each shot lasting only a few seconds, many of them very artfully composed, as well. The special effects are also very impressive for a movie from 1940. And the story is pretty good, too!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/27/24

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Robert L

The pro critics were correct about the amazing set pieces.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

Full Review

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Joel McCrea

John Jones

Laraine Day

Carol Fisher

Herbert Marshall

Stephen Fisher

George Sanders

Scott Ffolliott

Albert Basserman

Van Meer

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Synopsis

Crime reporter John Jones (Joel McCrea) is turning in nothing but dull copy. His editor, unhappy with his work, hopes a change of scenery will be the thing Jones needs to get back on track. Re-assigned to Europe as a foreign correspondent, Jones is very much out of his element. When he stumbles on a spy ring, he feels ill-equipped to unravel the truth alone and he seeks help from a beautiful politician's daughter (Laraine Day) and an urbane English journalist (George Sanders).

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenwriter: Charles Bennett, Joan Harrison, Ben Hecht, Robert Benchley, James Hilton
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Walter Wanger Productions, Inc.
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 16, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 19, 2016
Runtime: 1h 59m

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