Secret Agent
Seen it?1936 | 86 min | Thriller, Mystery, Romance
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (87% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a lukewarm 6.1 out of 10 from audiences and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and romantics. If you loved The Man Who Knew Too Much or The Bourne Identity, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 26 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1936: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
During World War I, a novelist declared dead is recruited by British intelligence and sent to Switzerland under a new identity to assassinate a German spy. Teamed with a fellow agent posing as his wife and an eccentric assassin known as “the General,” the trio close in on their target — until two of them grow ambivalent when their duty to the mission clashes with their consciences.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
6.1 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 28K people sought it out in the past year
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Cast & crew
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
- Madeleine CarrollElsa Carrington
- John GielgudRichard Ashenden / Edgar Brodie
- Peter LorreThe General
- Robert YoungRobert Marvin
- Percy MarmontCaypor
- Florence KahnMrs. Caypor
- Charles Carson"R"
- Lilli PalmerLilli
- Denys BlakelockMan (uncredited)
- Sebastian CabotMan (uncredited)