Saboteur-1942

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lake

Scott’s Review #98

Reviewed July 9, 2014

Grade: B+

Saboteur (1942) is a very early Alfred Hitchcock film that is a blueprint for his masterpieces in the years to follow.

The story follows a common theme among Hitchcock thrillers- the falsely accused man. An aircraft factory worker, Barry Kane, is falsely accused of an act of sabotage that kills his best friend.

Only Kane, and the audience, know the true culprit and sets out on a quest for both his innocence and to find and capture the real culprit.

The film then sets off a tale of adventure, cross-country hijinks, romance, and political espionage, similar to a Hitchcock classic, North by Northwest, which followed years later.

This film contains some excellent scenes- the traveling Carnie train adventure, the blind man, and the climactic chase scene atop the Statue of Liberty are fantastic.

Saboteur (1942) is a bit raw and the chemistry between the leads Robert Cummings and Priscilla Lane is poor, but an early Hitchcock film to be appreciated.