Alfred Hitchcock’s second American film, Foreign Correspondent (1940), delivers everything one could hope for in an excellent movie. It's often described as an espionage thriller, but that really only scratches the surface of what it offers: suspense, adventure, romance, humor, heroism, and a cast that seems perfect. In contrast to Hitchcock’s first American film, Rebecca—a well-made, though somewhat slow-paced Gothic thriller starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine—Foreign Correspondent is considerably more exciting and action-packed. While Rebecca remains an impressive film in its own right, it isn't as significant as Foreign Correspondent, which was made near the start of World War II and felt like a call for America to join the war effort at that time. Although Rebecca won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1940, Foreign Correspondent more rightfully deserved the honor. The story takes place in 1939 as Europe teeters on the edge of conflict. An American reporter named Johnny Jones is sent to England to work as a foreign correspondent for his New York newspaper. He adopts the name Huntley Haverstock and quickly begins investigating the apparent assassination of an important diplomat, uncovering a Nazi spy ring along the way. Joel McCrea and Laraine Day lead the cast; both are talented actors who deserve more recognition today. Their chemistry is strong throughout the film, and the supporting performers are equally impressive. George Sanders portrays a wisecracking freelancer named Scott ffolliott in a memorable performance. Robert Benchley, as McCrea’s fellow foreign correspondent Stebbins, co-wrote the script and reportedly penned much of his own dialogue. Edmund Gwenn also appears, playing an affable Cockney hit man in a brief but important role that he clearly relishes. Herbert Marshall is also present, delivering a truly outstanding performance in his second film with Hitchcock—a performance I could discuss at length if given the opportunity. The movie boasts numerous expertly crafted scenes. One notable example is the “umbrella scene,” where McCrea pursues an assassin through a crowd of onlookers, becoming disoriented amidst countless umbrellas. The windmill sequence, where McCrea and his companions find themselves in an open field with windmills turning gently—or against the breeze, in one suspicious case—is beautifully shot, underscored by the passage of a lone airplane. When McCrea sends Day and Sanders to summon the police and enters the windmill himself, it’s among the tensest moments in the film. Another memorable scene involves two men posing as police officers arriving at McCrea’s hotel room with sinister intentions; he cleverly outsmarts them and escapes through the window, finding himself precariously balanced on a ledge high above the streets of London while still wearing his bathrobe. He accidentally shorts out two letters in the hotel's neon sign, changing HOTEL EUROPE to HOT EUROPE—a touch that is purely Hitchcockian. There’s also a brief but delightful scene that often goes unnoticed by audiences. During a car chase where McCrea meets Sanders, the assassin’s vehicle swerves around a corner, nearly striking an elderly man attempting to cross the street. He retreats to the curb just in time, only to try crossing again as our heroes speed past, narrowly avoiding him. When he tries once more, a group of police officers on motorcycles races down the street, and the man, thwarted yet again, returns to the safety of his home. While most viewers might see it as a fleeting moment within an exciting chase, I found the sequence genuinely amusing—a wonderful example of comic relief. After a lively adventure across Europe, Foreign Correspondent culminates in a plane crash into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and one of the main characters makes a poignant sacrifice. If you appreciate great cinema, I suggest you immerse yourself in this Hitchcockian world. Good prevails over evil, clever dialogue is abundant, romance flourishes, villains become heroes, and adventure awaits!

Source on TMDB