Plot: What’s it about?
In Sabotage we follow Mr. Verloc (Oskar Holmolka), a man who has a wife, owns a cinema, and looks to be just another hard working man trying to support his family. His wife’s younger brother Stevie also lives at the home with them and neither he nor the wife have any idea that Verloc leads a double life, as a secret agent for a ring of saboteurs. This is a stark change from his usual profession and demeanor of course, but he manages to keep his other life hidden at all times. While his family is not aware of Verloc’s other life, Scotland Yard has been watching him and assigns a detective (John Loder) to work in a shop near the cinema, in an effort to keep a closer eye on Verloc and learn whatever he can. But as with all secrets, someone is bound to discover the truth. In Secret Agent we meet novelist Edgar Brodie (John Gielgud) who returns from World War II to discover he has died. While he knows he is alive and well of course, a government agency has reported him as deceased and even filed all the paperwork to make it seem as though he is gone. The agency explains that they want him to change his name and become an agent for them and track down a German agent, then kill him. It’s going to be a difficult mission to be sure, but Brodie will make sure to give it his all.
This is another release in Whirlwind Media’s Europa Theater Series, which offers a double feature of classic films for a low price. This like all releases in the series is a limited edition, but I am unsure of just how limited the run is. This release contains two Alfred Hitchcock films and I am pleased with the choices to be sure. In between the two movies you’ll be treated to a classic cartoon and a vintage newsreel, which adds to the whole theater feel the series strives for. This can make for a nice viewing experience to be sure, but I don’t know how many of you have the time to sit down and watch a series of double features in one sitting. In any case this release offers a nice chance to pick up two very good Hitchcock flicks in one swoop, at a very affordable price nonetheless. I don’t think these are Hitchcock’s best films by any means, but they are very good and deserve a place in the collection of any of his fans. While the video isn’t amazing to be sure, it does offer an adequate image and for this price, I can’t help but recommend this release.
The director of both of these films was Alfred Hitchcock, who is considered to be one of the finest directors of his time. Over his career Hitchcock delivered hit after hit and focused on thrillers and mysteries, though the context varied and remained fresh. If you want to see more of Hitchcock’s films I recommend North By Northwest, The Birds, Vertigo, Psycho, and The Man Who Knew Too Much. The cast of Sabotage is excellent and is led by a terrific performance by Oskar Holmolka (The Seven Year Itch, Mission To Moscow), who brings both sides of his character across very well. I was also impressed with the turns by John Loder (Money For Speed) and Sylvia Sidney (Beetlejuice, Mars Attacks!), who brings superb supporting roles to the table. The supporting cast also includes Desmond Tester (The Stars Look Down), Torin Thatcher (Hawaii, The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad), and Joyce Barbour (Enchantment). The cast for Secret Agent is also quite good and the lead performance from John Gielgud (Elizabeth, Shine) makes for a nice center to the film. The supporting cast also includes Peter Lorre (Arsenic And Old Lace, Casablanca), Robert Young (Sitting Pretty, Crossfire), and Madeleine Carroll (The Prisoner Of Zenda).
Video: How does it look?
Sabotage and Secret Agent are presented in 1.33:1 or full frame transfers, which retain the original aspect ratio of theatrical release. While the image on both looks aged and dated to be sure, this is one of the better looking releases for both and fans of the films should be pleased. The source prints show moderate to heavy wear and nicks, but again the image looks better than many other releases of similar product. The contrast is overly dark at times on Secret Agent, but is consistent and accurate on Sabotage. Unless a full scale restoration project is done on these titles, this is as good as we’re going to see these films.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound is presented in the original mono form and it sounds good, though it has the typical mono limitations of course. These films don’t call for much beyond dialogue though, so few problems emerge and those that do show up are minor. The music and effects come across well and I never noticed any hiss or hollow tones. The dialogue is the true focus in these mixes and the vocals sound loud and clear, displaying no volume or separation issues at all.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes a cartoon and vintage newsreel which run in between the movies, or you can watch them by themselves. This is a nice touch which adds to the theater feel, which is always good. You’ll also find a filmography for Hitchcock, a table of books about Hitchcock, and a guide to the director’s cameo appearances, which is cool.
