Academy Awards, USA 1941
| Nominated Oscar | Best Picture |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role Albert Bassermann | |
| Best Writing, Original Screenplay Charles Bennett Joan Harrison | |
| Best Cinematography, Black-and-White Rudolph Maté | |
| Best Art Direction, Black-and-White Alexander Golitzen | |
| Best Effects, Special Effects Paul Eagler (photographic) Thomas T. Moulton (sound) |
United Artists
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Criterion Collection)
Hot shot newspaper reporter Joel McCrae is sent to London to interview a Dutch diplomat who recently negotiated a treaty to reduce the threat of war in Europe. The diplomat is later assassinated in Amsterdam before McCrae can interview him. He learns that the diplomat is not really dead but kidnapped, having been replaced by a double. He tries to get help from the police but they don't believe him, so he turns to a British diplomat and head of a newly formed "peace party". He happens to be the father of the girl McCrae is falling in love with, but is also involved with the kidnappers. He survives an attempt on his own life and connects the dots with the British diplomat. He decides to blackmail him for information, but it is foiled at the last minute. War is declared in Europe, forcing everyone to evacuate to America. The all end up on the same plane which is shelled by Germans and crashes into the Atlantic. Some survive, some do not. Overplotted Hitchcock has its moments, such as the windmill sequence outside of Amsterdam, but is marred by stereotypical disaster ending and misplaced patriotic appeal for the end credits.
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