Saboteur (1942)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released by Universal Pictures on April 22, 1942, Saboteur is a gripping spy thriller that blends patriotic urgency with Hitchcock’s signature suspense. With a runtime of 109 minutes, the film stars Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane, and Norman Lloyd, and follows a falsely accused man racing to expose a Nazi sabotage ring operating within the United States.

Plot Summary

Barry Kane (Robert Cummings), a Los Angeles aircraft factory worker, is wrongly accused of setting fire to a plant—a blaze that kills his best friend. The real saboteur is Frank Fry (Norman Lloyd), a mysterious man Kane saw fleeing the scene. With no one believing his story, Kane goes on the run, determined to clear his name and uncover the truth.

His journey takes him across the country, from desert hideouts to circus caravans, culminating in a dramatic showdown atop the Statue of Liberty, where Kane confronts Fry in one of Hitchcock’s most iconic set pieces. Along the way, Kane is aided by Patricia Martin (Priscilla Lane), a skeptical model who becomes his ally and love interest.

Cast Highlights

• Robert Cummings as Barry Kane
• Priscilla Lane as Patricia Martin
• Norman Lloyd as Frank Fry
• Otto Kruger as Charles Tobin
• Alan Baxter, Clem Bevans, Alma Kruger, and Dorothy Peterson in supporting roles
• Alfred Hitchcock appears in a brief cameo—standing in front of a drugstore in New York

Trivia & Production Notes

• The screenplay was co-written by Peter Viertel, Joan Harrison, and Dorothy Parker, blending noir dialogue with wartime urgency
• Hitchcock originally wanted Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck for the leads, but settled on lesser-known actors to emphasize realism
• The film’s climax on the Statue of Liberty was groundbreaking for its use of special effects and symbolic imagery
• Norman Lloyd’s character falls to his death, a motif Hitchcock would revisit in North by Northwest (1959)
• The film was shot during WWII and reflects American fears of domestic sabotage, with clear anti-Nazi messaging
• Hitchcock used real locations across the U.S., including Hoover Dam, Nevada desert, and New York City, to heighten authenticity
• The circus sequence features real performers, adding surreal charm and moral contrast to Kane’s journey
• The film was a box office success, earning over $1.25 million in U.S. rentals against a budget of $780,000