tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post4026375784348783579..comments2024-03-08T18:49:51.289-05:00Comments on Classic Film and TV Café: Dial H for Hitchcock: Foreign Correspondent...an underrated gemRick29http://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-33786810287422029162010-03-21T00:39:15.194-04:002010-03-21T00:39:15.194-04:00I love this film. It's one of my top ten Hitch...I love this film. It's one of my top ten Hitchcock films. It also contains one of my all time favorite lines:<br />"If you knew how much I love you, you'd faint."Trippy Trellishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16286449738838619876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-67544991674799847712010-03-09T23:53:54.321-05:002010-03-09T23:53:54.321-05:00I think "mid-tier" Hitchcock is still ve...I think "mid-tier" Hitchcock is still very good. It's just that if I ranked all of Hitchcock's films and divided them into three groups, I'd place FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT in the middle group. As Eve captured so well, there are several of Hitchcock's trademark touches (e.g., the set pieces, use of landmarks, etc.). However, what I find intriguing about the film is where it differs from the director's other work. Instead of a single man on the run or even a couple as the focus, we get a trio here and it makes for a different dynamic. Any thoughts as to why Sanders' character was added to the mix? As I mentioned earlier, it could be an attempt to portray American and Britain as war allies. But it could also function as a transition for Hitch--from the reserved British hero of THE 39 STEPS to the more casual American heroes of SABOTEUR and beyond.Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-53296829314281862322010-03-09T17:58:06.270-05:002010-03-09T17:58:06.270-05:00Dawn - you must see this film, it's the steppi...Dawn - you must see this film, it's the stepping-stone between Hitchcock's Brit & U.S. pictures.<br />Rick - we mostly agree, but I think it's a bit better film than you do & think Joel McCrea was the right choice. His style was perfect for the role & Cooper couldn't have done it better.<br />Sark - good to hear from you again. We totally agree on the 'enjoyability' factor, lots of thrills & chills & humor.<br />Paul - you and I are pretty much on the same page, including our favorite Joel McCrea films.<br />Toto - great observation on Hitchcock's storyboarding, & you're right, Gwenn is unforgettable as Rowley (I love that sequence).The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-26884384492063337912010-03-09T11:01:03.668-05:002010-03-09T11:01:03.668-05:00Eve, this is an excellent post and the pictures yo...Eve, this is an excellent post and the pictures you chose really reminded me of how precise Hitchcock was with his storyboarding. I feel as if I have a clear idea what Hitch wanted to convey by looking at these stills. The automobiles look like they are invading the windmills in the top photo. The double-entendre of the photographer "shooting" his victim. Like Sark, I love the entourage of umbrellas that make it hard to navigate the crowd after the assasination. And I was particularly intrigued with Edmund Gwenn's polite turn as the gracious killer. You have written a profoundly thought-provoking essay, Eve. Bravo!toto2https://www.blogger.com/profile/09652682900471649463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-3982182065398508032010-03-09T09:44:05.424-05:002010-03-09T09:44:05.424-05:00Eve ,excellent post on one of my favorite Hitchco...Eve ,excellent post on one of my favorite Hitchcock films. Gary Cooper said he should have done this film, but I think Joel does a fine job. In fact it's one of my favorite of his roles with Sullivans Travels The Palm Beach Story, and Ride The High Country.It's sort of a shock to see George as a "good guy " for a change seeing that he was playing a lot of Nazi's (Confessions of A Nazi Spy, Manhunt) around the same time. The "set pieces" are classic and for years people wondered how Hitch did the crash. And Imust disagree with Rick about this being "mid -tier" Hitch.Paul 2https://www.blogger.com/profile/11500682719536011343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-53576688238941416302010-03-09T08:04:01.975-05:002010-03-09T08:04:01.975-05:00Great write-up, Eve. I can't add anything sign...Great write-up, Eve. I can't add anything significant to your informative post. But I can tell you that I really enjoy FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. There are so many sequences in Hitchcock films that are memorable. This movie has two that always stick in my mind: the windmill scene and, my personal favorite, the umbrellas. Thanks for an excellent feature, Eve. Looking forward to future posts!sarkoffagushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00922698736476674377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-4109618289792645892010-03-09T07:49:54.687-05:002010-03-09T07:49:54.687-05:00P.S. Your photos from the film are terrific.P.S. Your photos from the film are terrific.Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-44712788411117996762010-03-09T07:48:54.448-05:002010-03-09T07:48:54.448-05:00Eve, this is an excellent article on FOREIGN CORRE...Eve, this is an excellent article on FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT! I love your point about the "doubles" and I agree that the set pieces are thrilling (for years, I thought of this as the "windmill movie"). However, as a whole, I consider FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT to be mid-tier Hitchcock. The set pieces dominate the film for me and, as a result, its already lengthy running (120 min) seems longer. I also think that Joel McCrea is miscast as the American hero (Gary Cooper would have been much better). That said, I still enjoyed very much about FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. The pairing of an American and an Englishman is a great wartime touch. It's intriguing that the hero falls in love with the villain's daughter. And I love that Herbert Marshall and Edmund Gwen--often known for nice guy roles--are baddies. I think Marshall has the best scenes, such as the one where he's feeding treats to his dog while discussing how to dispose of Huntley. That's classic Hitchcock!Rick29https://www.blogger.com/profile/08358116647815569722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5344878851139332715.post-83923987800709748502010-03-09T06:23:26.721-05:002010-03-09T06:23:26.721-05:00TheLadyEve, Awesome post! I have not seen the film...TheLadyEve, Awesome post! I have not seen the film Foreign Correspondent. I'm a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan. So, I' m going to put Foreign Correspondent, on my "gotta see" list.Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476174860119487509noreply@blogger.com