Foreign Correspondent (United Artists 1940, Joel McCrea, Laraine Day)

Foreign Correspondent is classic Hitchcock. It is 1939 and Johnny Jones, a naive police reporter, is sent by his even more naive boss to cover a ‘crime’ story that’s unfolding in Europe: the potential outbreak of a second world war. Unprepared for the dangerous political landscape he’s entering, Johnny manages to land smack in the middle of a spy ring that is masquerading as a peace organization.

Although Foreign Correspondent was filmed primarily in Hollywood, a second unit cameraman was sent to London and Amsterdam for location footage. Although he eventually reached Europe, his first ship was torpedoed and all his equipment lost.

production details
USA | United Artists | 120 minutes | 1940

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Script: Charles Bennett, James Hilton, Joan Harrison, Robert Benchley,

cast
Joel McCrea as John Jones
Paul Irving as Dr. Williamson
Louis Borell as Capt. Lawson
George Sanders as ffollliott
Robert Benchley as Stebbins
Edmund Gwenn as Rowley
Eduardo Ciannelli as Mr. Krug
Harry Davenport as Mr. Powers
Eddie Conrad as Assassin
Ian Wolfe as Stiles
Barbara Pepper as Dorine
Sam Harris as Luncheon Guest
Larry Wheat as Luncheon Guest
Laraine Day as Carol Fisher
Herbert Marshall as Stephen Fisher
Albert Bassermann as Van Meer
Martin Kosleck as Tramp
Frances Carson as Mrs. Sprague
Charles Wagenheim as Assassin
Charles Halton as Bradley
Emory Parnell as ‘Mohican’ Captain
Roy Gordon as Mr. Brood
Gertrude Hoffmann as Mrs. Benson
Marten Lamont as Captain
Barry Bernard as Steward
Holmes Herbert as Asst. Commissioner
Leonard Mudie as McKenna
John Burton as English Announcer
Samuel Adams as Van Meer’s Impersonator
Meeka Aldrich as Donald’s Wife
Jack Alfred as Bit Part
Bunny Beatty as Bit Part
Frank Benson as Bit Part
Billy Bester as Bit Part
Henry Blair as Bit Part
Becky Bohanon as Sophie
Barbara Boudwin as Bit Part
Betty Bradley as Cousin Mary
Louise Brien as Bit Part
Ronald Brown as Bit Part
Horace B. Carpenter as Bit Part
Willy Castello as Krug’s Henchman at Windmill
George Cathrey as Bit Part
Wheaton Chambers as Committeeman
Ken Christy as Fake Dutch Detective
E.E. Clive as Mr. Naismith
Gino Corrado as Luncheon Waiter
Maurice Costello as Bit Part
John Dawson as Minor Role
Harry Depp as Uncle Buren
Elspeth Dudgeon as Bit Part
Carl Ekberg as Bit Part
Helena Phillips Evans as Mrs. Stiles
Herbert Evans as Parking Valet
James Finlayson as Dutch Peasant
George B. French as Bit Part
Bill Gavier as Bit Part
Jack George as Hotel Waiter
Douglas Gordon as Bit Part
Alexander Granach as Hotel Valet
Richard Hammond as Bit Part
Alfred Hitchcock as Man with Newspaper on Street
Otto Hoffman as New York Globe Teletype Operator
Billy Horn as Bit Part
Colin Kenny as Doctor
Crauford Kent as Toastmaster
Joan Leslie as Jones’ Sister
Gwendolyn Logan as Bit Part
Eily Malyon as College Arms Hotel Cashier
Eric Mayne as Luncheon Guest
Jackie McGee as Bit Part
John Meredith as Bit Part
Hermina Milar as Bit Part
Thomas Mizer as Bit Part
Edmund Mortimer as Luncheon Guest
John T. Murray as Clark – Jones Family Member
Henry Norton as Luncheon Guest
Jane Novak as Miss Benson
Joe O’Brien as Bit Part
George Offerman Jr. as New York Globe Copy Boy
Lawrence Osman as Bit Part
Hilda Plowright as Miss Pimm
Thomas Pogue as Airplane Passenger
Jack Rice as Donald
Ronald R. Rondell as Waiter
Loulette Sablon as Bit Part
Harry Semels as Sidewalk Crowd Extra
Raymond Severn as Bit Part
Frederick Sewell as Bit Part
Ernie Stanton as Bit Part
William Stelling as Bit Part
Donald Stuart as Eric – Skittish Girl’s Escort in Tower of Westminister Cathedral
Paul Sutton as Bit Part
Ferris Taylor as Jones’ Father
Dorothy Vaughan as Jones’ Mother
Jack Voglin as Bit Part
Hans von Morhart as Dutch Policeman
Bert White as Bit Part
William Yetter Sr. as Dutch Motor Policeman
Mary Young as Auntie Maude
Robert Fischer as Bit Part