Secret Agent

							Secret Agent
by Alfred Hitchcock

By Julia Gerbes and Martin Orgill
Table of contents
1.   General Information
2.   Critics
3.   Comedy aspect
4.   Audio/ Video
5.   Suspense/ imagery
6.   Foreshadowing
7.   Connections to other movies
8.   Message
9.   General Question
Is Secret Agent a top-notch film classic or
    complete rubbish? → Why?
1. General Information
   Thriller
   Based on the novel „Ashenden“ by W.
    Somerset Maugham
   Actors: Madeleine Caroll (Elsa Carrington/
    Mrs. Ashenden), John Gielgud (Edgar Brodie/
    Mr. Ashenden), Peter Lorre (the mexican,
    general), Robert Young ( Robert Marvin)
2. Critics
 Kinematograph:
„ Ein würdiger Begleiter für seinen erlauchten
  und sehr erfolgreichen Vorgänger 39 Stufen.
  Die Handlung entfaltet sich in den
  psychologischen Reaktionen der
  Hauptfiguren. Es gibt intellektuelle Dialoge,
  gutmütigen Humor, romantische
  Verwicklungen.“
   New York Times:
    „ The Secret Agent rühmt sich zwar der literarischen Herkunft
    von einem Somerset Maugham- Roman, ist aber
    nichtsdestoweniger einer jener Filme, in dem sich praktisch
    jedes Ensemble- Mitglied als Spion erweist, nicht
    ausgenommen Robert Young, dem man abnehmen soll, dass
    er ein amerikanischer Spion im Sold der Achsenmächte ist.
    Wenn man das verdaut hat, fällt es einem auch nicht mehr
    schwer, sich Madeleine Caroll als eine Amateur- agentin
    vorzustellen, die sich dem Geheimdienst aus Spass am
    Nervenkitzel angeschlossen hat und die, nach Genf geschickt,
    um dort im Rahmen einer Spionageaktio die Frau von John
    Gielgud zu spielen, sich in diesen verliebt, während sie von
    Mr. Young verfolgt wird.“
     Lexikon des internationalen Films:

      „Hintergründige Spionagekomödie, trickreich
      mit Überaschungseffekten und Wortwitz.“


( scene 11.30 – 12.25 & 14.30 – 16.25 )
3. Comedy aspect


 How do the chosen characters influence the
             humour in this film?

        (Are there any differences?)
   Ashenden: conversations, in which he is very
    serious, but we never expect dialoges like
    these in our everyday life
   Example:
    „ Do you love your land?“
    - „Well, I just died for it.“
     General: his character, outer appearence in
      combination with acent and his (mexican)
      temper and especially his gestures

( scene 19.05 – 21.52 )
4. Audio/ Video


Describe the usage of sound (or is it music?) in
  this scene. What atmosphere is created?
   Loud, sustained, discordant sound
     Suspense
   The two wait for a signal from the organist
    (but never receive one)
   They go to him and when they touch him he
    falls over and his hand strikes a second
    register and produces a second short sound
     Then there is silence which underlines the fact
      of the organists death
     „Music as potentially noise“


(scene 22.17 – 23.37)
   Another scene in which audio and visual
    effects are combined
   Combining this very loud sound with a
    extreme close-up of a mouth speaking into an
    ear. ( The two men try to communicate, but it
    is nearly impossible)
Another example for sound effects


        What„s special in this scene?
   What does it tell us about the relationship?

                  (scene 37.55 – 40.15)
   Constantly changing of places (switch from
    room to mountain and back)
   Dog starts barking and in the middle of this
    scene this sound could be heard when the
    camera has already switched to the mountains
   Underlines the relationship of dog and men
    (the dog „knows“ that something will happen)
   Looking through Ashendens perspective

   Don„t have to show the murder because, when
    someone looking through a telescope it„s
    normal to make pauses because only one eye
    is used.
5. Suspense/ imagery


 Is Secret Agent a thrilling Hitchcock film or a
              family entertainment?


                  (scene 1.12:30 – 1.16:40)
how suspense is created in these
scenes…
   Protagonists are surrounded by enemies and
    are foreign spies → immediate threat

   Three hung men = three spies
    → serves as warning

   Hearing the repetition of words in Elsa„s head
    while on the train
Suspense throughout film…

   Marvin flirting with Elsa → tension between
    Marvin and Ashenden; adverseries not only
    for woman but also for country
   Build up to climax point: assassination of
    Caypor
   Search for double agent and atypically killing
    innocent person
   Intrusion in enemy territory
   All undercover agents must keep their identity
    hidden
6. Foreshadowing
   In film:
    Ashenden about General: “Ladykiller, eh?”
    R: “Not only ladies..”
    → killer

   “Sounded just like a pistol shot!”
    → assasination
    (scenes 5:40 – 6:00 & 7:18 – 8:00)
Deeper
foreshadowing meaning…

   Hitchcock not politically active but unlike
    politicians feared the war and wanted to
    prepare the people for war

   Germany already was suspicious and film yet
    again depicts Germans as the bad guys
   Points out scale of war to come through
    diversity of languages international; Germans,
    French, English, Americans and Italians
    involved
     → international conflict
7. Connection to other movies



  What connections to other films can you think
                      of?
To other spy-thrillers:
      - affair of supporting woman
      - secret service
      - name of boss only one letter: R (M from
   James Bond)
      - fake passports
      - international mysterious matter of states

       → figure of Ashenden served as basis for
         Ian Flemings James Bond
8. Message


    What message do you think the film has,
     apart from warning about the war?
   Idolizes pure heroism in war
   Underlines immoral act of assasination
   Relationship based on the murder of an
    innocent cannot last
9. General Question



      What did you think of the end?
    Tying up of loose ends
    Bizarre jumps from giving up to chase in
    chocolate factory
    Attack of British air force as attempt to make
    it interesting
 Thank you for your attention
and eagerness to participate!!!