Secret Agent

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Secret Agent

1936

1h 26m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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.

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.

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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.

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Michael Sragow

The New Yorker

Sep 17, 2012

One of the weirdest movies Alfred Hitchcock ever made.

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Ann Ross

Maclean's Magazine

Aug 8, 2019

Good British spy thriller.

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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.

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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.

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Starla C

Dec 31, 2025

It seemed to drag in spots...otherwise it was entertaining most of the time

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Steve D

@RT35616104 Jan 7, 2024

Nothing special despite the talent.

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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

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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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