Tense action thriller about a man falsely accused of sabotaging a U.S. aeroplane factory during WW2, who attempts to clear his name by finding an elusive spy named Frank Fry.
Barry Kane, an aircraft factory worker, is horrified when a fire at his workplace kills his best friend. After visiting his friend’s mother to console her, he is shocked to learn that police are looking to arrest him, as it was discovered that the fire extinguisher Barry handed to his friend who was trying to put the fire out, contained gasoline. Having been handed the extinguisher from a guy named Fry, Barry is put into further distress when he learns that no one by the name of Fry worked at the factory. Now he must traverse the country in search of this elusive saboteur in the hope of clearing his name, and protecting further innocent Americans.
An early Hitchcock film, Saboteur is a tense and gripping spy thriller that bounds through a simple but effective story with ease. The main performance from Robert Cummings is deftly executed, with subtle nuances in his expressions that make his character realistic and sympathetic. His reactions to events are lifelike, rather than sensationalist, which is a preferred behaviour.
The films themes of national pride and protecting the safety of citizens, whilst relevant in these dark days, are a little on the nose, and the script provides some awkward moments of largely forgotten bravado. This being said, many of the baddies have beliefs about politics and power that are enduring, and make them seem all the more dangerous for it.
In total, , a precursor for a lot of good spy movies, and one that stands the test of time, a very decent Hitchcock.
No comments:
Post a Comment