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The Secret AgentRating:
Release Date: 24 March, 1998 Retail Price: $11.99 Sorry, this product is not currently available. Cast: Complete Cast (14 total) |
The Secret Agent Reviews
Hitchcock's Secret Not Victoria's
For some reason I just don't enjoy the British Hitchcock films as much as I enjoy the American ones. I find the British films a bit smug, I don't think the humor and suspense jells correctly. It wasn't until his American films that he started to get it right. Movies such as "The Lady Vanishes", "The 39 Steps" and this one are entertaining but lack something that Hitchcock's later films would offer.
John Gielgud plays Edgar Brodie a novelist who has been reported dead by the government so he can go undercover to track down a German spy during WW1 in Switzerland. He he arrives there he finds out that a partner has been sent to help him; a woman (Madeleine Carroll) who is posing as his wife.
All of this sounds quite good. There is a lot of promise in the plot. But I felt the movie never really knows what to do with it. The tone of the movie is at time boring. There is no real suspense.
While at the hotel Elsa Carrington (Carroll) meets a man, Robert Marvin (Robert Young, of TV's "Father Knows Best"). Marvin is attracted to Elsa even after he finds out that she is married.
As the two try to find the unknown spy they are lead on the wrong trail and kill an innocent man. After this Elsa doesn't want to continue their work and demand to go back home. She can not live with these actions on her conscious. At this point in the movie one wonders what is Hitchcock trying to tell us? Is he making a passivist war movie? Is he trying to say that even if you kill a person in a time of war, murder is still murder?
Some could argue this is the movie the recent "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" should have been. Both movies deal with a phony marriage, murder, and spies. But the different with this movie is these characters are smart.
Peter Lorre co-stars, in believe it or not, a comic relief role. He brought the movie down in my opinion. First of all I've never thought of Lorre as a great actor, secondly I never thought of him as a comic actor. When Lorre is on screen the movie struggles with the correct tone. When we see him we are getting comedy, but the movie seems too serious for that so it balances both. This hurts the movie. And what about that accent Lorre uses? It sounds awful.
Also the Robert Young character gives the movie a screwball comedy appeal along the lines of "The Awful Truth" or "My Favorite Wife". With Young we are getting a love triangle that is played for comedy.
"Secret Agent" is quite predictable but I suppose it doesn't matter, Hitchcock fans are going to watch this movie anyway. It is a harmless movie that shows how much he imroved when he came to America. Some of the performances are good, especially Gielgud, who always has a straight face on. Many may remember him in his Oscar winning role as the butler in "Arthur". And Madeleine Carroll appeared in Hitchcock's better film "The 39 Steps" and co-starred with Bob Hope (is there any woman he didn't act with?) in "My Favorite Blonde".
Bottom-line: Enjoyable if slight early Hitchcock film that touches on some big topics like war. Not very suspenseful but the acting is good and in Robert Young's case the movie can be funny. Has of the master will want to see it and will probably enjoy it.
Hitch's Mix....Suspense and Humor...
This review refers to the Platinum Disc Corp DVD edition...
From 1936..."The Secret Agent". You'll find Hitch's unique sense of humor well intergrated with the suspense in this terrific film about espinoge at the onset of WWI. A recluctant spy is recruited to kill an enemy spy. He is given a false name and a fake wife to keep up appearances. He goes after the target, but does he have the right man? Could there be another who is the real culprit? And what a cast.. John Gielgud stars with Madeline Carroll,Robert Young and Peter Lorre(fabulous as always) as his very strange accomplice.Other notables to look for include Lilli Palmer and Michael Redgrave.
The transfer of this nearly 70 year old film by Platinum is decent, but probably not as good as some of the more expensive editons. The picture is nice and clear but there are quite a few scratches.The sound in Dolby Dig is clear and distinguishable. I did find it to be very viewable and perfectly enjoyable.It includes a short trivia quiz of the film, a bio of Sir John Gielgud and a few chapter stops.It comes in a nice jewel case, with an insert that also includes the same extras that are on the disc.
Where's Hitch.....alas, there seems to be no appearance by Sir Alfred here.
I would recommend this editon of "Secret Agent" to Hitch fans who want to build up their collection without spending too much.
enjoy...Laurie
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