Traitor or Patriot?

Imagine that the country is at war and you are a humble worker at a Los Angeles aircraft factory, who one day witnesses your own best friend burn up in flames during a freak accident at the plant. Suddenly, the accident grows more suspicious and you find yourself fleeing from the law, your patriotism challenged, and being unjustly accused of a treasonous crime of sabotage which you did not commit. It could be a modern suspense melodrama playing out with the latest action star at your local theatre, but this movie is set during World War II and deals with many issues of loyalty, patriotism, trust, and scapegoating, which we still deal with today.

This is the exact problem faced by Barry Kane, played by Robert Cummings, in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1942 film Sabotuer. The film was on Turner Classic Movies earlier today and sinc I had already seen it, it was a little easier for me to jump right in thirty minutes into the film. Cummings is better known for playing Hitchcock’s leading man in Dial M for Murder. Still, Saboteur, which is not exactly one of Hitchcock's most popular, is an amazing movie that had me on the edge of my seat the first time I saw it. This is truly a film that is as relevant today as when it was first released.

Picking back up with the story, Kane must track down the elusive Frank Frye (Norman Lloyd) who actually committed the act of sabotage to clear his own name. Kane finds himself going against a powerful group of fascists attempting to undermine the US war efforts, most of whom are the wealthy, powerful and last people you would suspect. When Kane crosses with Charles Tobin (Otto Kruger) his safety becomes even more in jeopardy. He meets beautiful blonde model Pat Martin (Pricilla Lane), who cannot trust him though her blind uncle has no problems. Pat gets involved with Kane in more ways than one and they must make their way through New York, through deserts, being kept safe by a group of "freaks" from the traveling circus, who understand what it is like to be accused of things you are not. Eventually, Kane makes it to New York but he must stop Frye before he commits another act of sabotage, endangering more lives.

This is truly a suspense film in every since of the word. I was hanging on the edge of my seat until the very end and Hitch keeps throwing so many new twists and problems in your direction, the constant thought through the movie is "How is Kane going to get out of this one?". The acting has just the right amount of intensity and the themes coursing throughout the movie still ring true in the modern day world. The script is very intelligent, since it was written by Peter Viertel, Joan Harrison, and the great wit herself, Dorothy Parker. Filming began two weeks after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, making perhaps adding to the very pro-American sentiment of the film.

This was one of the first films Hitch made during his tumultuous time working under the legendary David O. Selznick. The footage of a capsized ship in the film is actual newsreel footage from the USS Lafayette, which was believed to have been sabotaged by the Germans during the war. When Norman Lloyd smiles at the ship, giving a creepy, frightening feel to the scene, he was improvising, showing you how Hitch's splicing of various scenes together can create just the right eerie effect.

Additionally, no music adds to the climax of the movie, only allowing the actors to build up the terrifying tension that has you wondering what is going to happen next. The visual effects in the final scene, though I won't give anything away, are amazing for the period and very ahead of their time. If you ever get a hold of the DVD of this, I recommend you check out the special features where they explain how this shot was captured. If you want another analysis of the film, you can read one here on the blog Film Epidemic. For a great Hitchcock gem that isn't one of his more popular or talked about film, I highly recommend Saboteur for a good suspense.