SABOTEUR

US, 1942, 108 minutes, Black and white.
Priscilla Lane, Robert Cummings, Otto Kruger.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Saboteur is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s earliest American films, made after Rebecca, which won the Oscar for best film of 1940, and Foreign Correspondent. It was released just as the United States entered World War Two.

The story is topical with an aircraft worker played by Robert Cummings falsely accused of sabotage in the factory. He decides to clear his name – which involves him travelling across the whole United States, trying to expose a gang of saboteurs, involving a young woman, played by Priscilla Lane. The famous finale, where Robert Cummings confronts Norman Lloyd, is set on the Statue of Liberty.

This finale ensures that it is remembered – but it is an effective Hitchcock film of the period.

1. The quality of the film as a Hitchcock thriller, made during the war, early American period? Expectations from a Hitchcock title?

2. The film in the atmosphere of the forties, America's attitude towards the war? The atmosphere of war, of propaganda, of fascists and fifth columnists in America, the sense of nationalism and patriotism? Fow did this seem at the time? In retrospect?

3. The use of black and white photography, studio locations and their artificiality? The ranging over America from Los Angeles, to the desert, to New York locations? The use of the Statue of Liberty for the climax? The use of the musical score?

4. Audience involvement with the Hitchcock structure: the initial puzzling incident, danger, mistaken identity, imputed guilt, the flight of the innocent, the journey, the accompanying girl? The build-up to the climax? Why can audiences be involved in this kind of suspense?

5. The impact of the credits sequence with the shadow looming, the build-up to the sabotage?

6. Robert Cummings as Barry? initial opinion of him, his patriotic work durig the war, friendship with Mason? The interest in the clash with Frye? The involvement in the sabotage and the effect of the death of Mason? Audience emotional response to his being questioned, his visit to Mrs Mason? The risk to his safety? Mrs Mason and her dilemma and her saving him? The humour of the lady neighbour?

7. Audience involverment in the journey? Comedy and suspense blended? The details of the drive with the truckie and the comment on that way of life? hold up by the police, the humour of the truck driver later saving him? in the incident in the river after the fall from the bridge? The encounter with the blind man and the suspense of Barry trying to conceal his handcuffs and yet they had been observed? The consideration of the blind man? (Mow well delineated was this character with his affliction, music, hospitality and help?) The incident with the circus, the various freaks and their attitudes towards Barry and the girl? The humour in their presentation, the irony of their clashes, the dwarf, the bearded lady, the siamese twins? The benign helpers?

8. The importance of Pat and her disbelief? A suitable heroine, her patriotism and loyalty, Barry's forcing, her? Being held up on the road and his taking her away as if they were newly married? The change of heart? understanding the truth? For escape and the final confrontation? Her doubts? suspense at the dinner? Her final call for help with the card out the window? Her presence at the end? A strong American heroine?

9. The presentation of the villains? Credible fifth-columnists and saboteurs? Tobin and the relaxation at his home and with the child? The suspense with the letters? The criminals at the Boulder Dam location? The atmosphere of New York and Mrs Suttor and her aristocratic tone and not wanting to be involved in murders? Barry and his trying to outwit these people? Being forced to dance, the device of the auction? Political attitudes, idealogical beliefs, Tobin's motivation? How credible was this kind of fifth-columnist work in America in the forties?

10. Audience response to Frye, at the start, the effect of the sabotage and Mason? his death? his reappearance in America? The build-up towards the climax and Pat following him? The dramatics on the Statue of Liberty? holding on and his life by a thread which then broke? Audience response to his death?

11. Barry trying to get to the pier in time? The action at the pier and the saving of the ship? Frye signaling later when he saw the other ship on its side? How well was the climax sequence filmed? The ironic use of the Statue of Liberty? The irony of Frye holding on and falling? The thriller conventions and Hitchcock's use of thrills? His belief in involving the audience with suspense? The film as a morale booster during the war? Observation of human nature? Its links with so many others of Hitchcock's espionage and escape films? The anticipation of North By Northwest?