Alfred Hitchcock Blogathon: Saboteur (1942)

SYNOPSIS: Aircraft factory worker Barry Kane goes on the run across the United States when he is wrongly accused of starting a fire that killed his best friend. – via IMDB

So check me out. Another Hitchcock film. Surely that should surprise none of you, and those who are surprised, where have you been?! Just kidding. At any rate, I thought I would tackle another Hitchcock creation, hoping for it to be something better.

Boy, was I rewarded! Saboteur was a really neat little spy thriller, black and white, and it was shot beautifully! Tension was built up just correctly, and the movie contained some absolutely excellent performances. Robert Cummings was gorgeous, and he had talent to back the looks, too. He was not wooden and boring, and Priscilla Lane was also a beauty, truly complementing Cummings.

The story starts simply enough, and soon Barry Kane (Robert Cummings – and no, not Zombie) loses his best friend in a fire at the airplane factory where they work in a terrible fire. While visiting the deceased’s grieving mother, he learns that detectives are looking for him, convinced he murdered his friend, who was passed a fire extinguisher that was filled with gas. Barry knows this is not true, and goes on the run. On the way, he is arrested, manages a narrow escape, and comes across a small home with a blind resident, Phillip Martin (Vaughan Glaser). Barry relaxes as the old man cannot see his handcuffs, and begins to plot the next few things on his agenda. However, things are complicated with Barry’s niece, a billboard model named Patricia “Pat” Martin (Priscilla Lane) arrives home, and panics. Phillip intends to help Barry, sending Pat with him to the blacksmith to have the manacles removed, but instead she insists she is taking him to the police.

Barry wishes that Pat wold believe him, and the two argue incessantly. Coming across some circus buses, Pat makes some realisations about Barry. He needs help, and she decides that she might need to give it to him. Barry wants his name cleared of the murder of his friend, but is pretty low on society’s food chain, and Charles Tobin (Otto Kruger) is well respected. How will he convince anyone that Tobin is a saboteur? The two start their cross country investigation, which takes them down strange and twisted paths, and they make many unpleasant discoveries. Barry is still on the run, and this hinders them from time to time, but he is intent on proving his innocence.

I thought the film was shot beautifully, and the score complemented it every step of the way. As I mentioned, the performances were wonderful, and it was fun to see this all come together. There was also some humour in here, which I liked. But nothing too in your face. Nice and subtle. The plot wasn’t too complicated, and you never missed what was going on. The leads worked so well together, and were both hotties to keep an eye on. This is definitely a Hitchcock film that came together wonderfully and that I will certainly watch again in future. I would highly recommend watching this one if you have not already. I was interested the whole way through, and liked everything save maybe the way the film ended. Truly my favourite of the Hitchcock films I have watched so far!