Time for free movies downtown courtesy of River City Cinema!!!
This week's movie: Foreign Correspondent
Foreign Correspondent (1940) is another of director Alfred Hitchcock's spy thrillers. It was his second American film (and hired out by David O. Selznick to independent producer Walter Wanger), one that closely resembles his earlier British films: The 39 Steps (1935) and The Lady Vanishes (1937). Originally, the screenplay was based on Vincent Sheean's best-selling autobiographical memoir Personal History, but then it evolved into an original story/screenplay (crafted by screenwriter Charles Bennett and Joan Harrison). (Additional dialogue was added to the screenplay by novelist James Hilton and Robert Benchley and many other uncredited scriptwriters.) It was touted as "The Thrill Spectacle of the Year!"
The propagandistic tale of international intrigue from United Artists, involves a hard-headed, but relatively inexperienced American crime reporter and foreign correspondent caught in the political turmoil of Europe just before the outbreak of World War II (August, 1939). He becomes embroiled in the duplicitous activities of a peace organization operating as a spy ring. The film is best remembered for a number of memorable scenes, including a political assassination in the rain on the steps of the Amsterdam Town Hall, and a trans-Atlantic clipper plane crash.
The under-rated, enjoyable film didn't receive any Academy Awards, but it was nominated for six Oscars: Best Picture (producer Walter Wanger), Best Supporting Actor (Albert Bassermann who learned all his dialogue phonetically), Best Original Screenplay, Best B/W Art Direction (Alexander Golitzen), Best Special Effects (Thomas T. Moulton and Paul Eagler) and Best B/W Cinematography (Rudolph Mate). In the same year, Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director for the Best Picture-winning film Rebecca (1940) - his first American film.
The festivities start at around 8:30 at Pickering Square. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the show!
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