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Secret Agent

Play trailer Poster for Secret Agent 1936 1h 26m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 47% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
British intelligence fakes the death of Edgar Brodie (John Gielgud) to send him on a mission in Switzerland, where as Richard Ashenden he is to locate and kill a German spy. Accompanying Brodie are fellow agents Elsa Carrington (Peter Lorre), who is to play Brodie's wife, and an eccentric assassin known as The General (Madeleine Carroll). Locating the spy on a train, Brodie and Elsa have second thoughts about their mission just as an American (Robert Young) ingratiates himself with them.

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Secret Agent

Critics Reviews

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Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Jun 3, 2015
The film has a fine cast and a fine look -- shot in the Swiss Alps, much of it makes use of unusual white-on-white compositions. Go to Full Review TIME Magazine Jun 3, 2015
Directed by England's pudgy master of melodrama, Alfred Hitchcock, Secret Agent is a first-rate sample of his knack of achieving speed by never hurrying, horror by concentrating on the prosaic. Go to Full Review Michael Sragow The New Yorker Sep 17, 2012
One of the weirdest movies Alfred Hitchcock ever made. Go to Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Aug 8, 2019
Good British spy thriller. Go to Full Review Josephine O'Neill Daily Telegraph (Australia) Mar 15, 2019
In spite of many brilliant touches Alfred Hitchcock's third film is disappointing. The British producer fails to establish that tense atmosphere of The Man Who Knew Too Much" and The 39 Steps. Go to Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times Jun 3, 2015
4/5
John Gielgud might not be everyone's ideal Hitchcock hero, and contemporary critics were quick to point out his lack of derring-do, but, in fact, he acquits himself admirably in this engaging thriller. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Starla C Dec 31, 2025 It seemed to drag in spots...otherwise it was entertaining most of the time See more Jennifer G Dec 22, 2025 The movie has a slow pace which I enjoyed. I was immersed in the story throughout. Filmed like a 70s cop movie, the story was beautifully acted by an amazing cast. See more Horror fan 4 @Horrorfan4life Jan 9, 2026 A really good spy thriller. I never would've suspected it to be....... Well it was great performances and the ending that made this movie. The general was my favorite character. Tim Treakle See more Will W @RT74792349 Oct 12, 2024 Five stars for Madeleine Carroll, three stars for everyone else. It's not a bad film it just suffers by comparison with its predecessor as not as well written as 39 Steps and doesn't have Robert Donat. See more Matt D @RT28463242 Aug 1, 2024 It's not completely bad. There's something to enjoy in every Hitchcock after 1934's The Man Who Knew Too Much Madeleine Carrol is as gorgeous and feisty as she was in The 39 Steps and Robert Young works well as the annoying fellow hotel guest. The plot has some good set pieces, particularly the lead up to the first assassination and the finale on the train. On the minus side, Gielgud may have been the supreme Shakespearian actor of his day but in this he is wooden and looks as if he's rather be doing something else than star as Hitchcock's second choice for the lead (he wanted Donat again). And unlike The 39 Steps there is absolutely no chemsitry between the two leads. In addition, Peter Lorre hams it up as an irritating hitman of indeterminate nationality. He would continue to earn his money playing foreign grotesques until The Maltese Falcon. Finally there's the plot. Having killed the wrong man, our heroes are now all reluctant to complete the task at hand. This may have looked fine in the script but in reality a spy caper where the spies aren't interested in finishing the job is oddly unengaging. Every one has bad days and this was one of Hitchcock's. See more Steve D @RT35616104 Jan 7, 2024 Nothing special despite the talent. See more Read all reviews
Secret Agent

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Cast & Crew

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

John Gielgud

Edgar Brodie

Peter Lorre

The General

Madeleine Carroll

Elsa Carrington

Robert Young

Robert Marvin

Percy Marmont

Caypor

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Secret Agent

Secret Agent (1936) Secret Agent (1936) Secret Agent (1936) Secret Agent (1936) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis British intelligence fakes the death of Edgar Brodie (John Gielgud) to send him on a mission in Switzerland, where as Richard Ashenden he is to locate and kill a German spy. Accompanying Brodie are fellow agents Elsa Carrington (Peter Lorre), who is to play Brodie's wife, and an eccentric assassin known as The General (Madeleine Carroll). Locating the spy on a train, Brodie and Elsa have second thoughts about their mission just as an American (Robert Young) ingratiates himself with them.
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Producer
Michael Balcon, Ivor Montagu
Screenwriter
Charles Bennett, Alma Reville, Ian Hay, Jesse Lasky Jr.
Distributor
Stokey Video, New Century Telecommunications Inc., Gaumont British Picture Corporation, LS Video, Criterion Collection
Production Co
British International Pictures, Gaumont British Picture Corporation Ltd.
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 15, 1936, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 19, 2017
Runtime
1h 26m
Sound Mix
Mono
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