Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- tense
- romantic
- classic cinema night
- hitchcock marathon
What critics said
Critics generally regard it as entertaining Hitchcockian spy melodrama with strong performances, technical flair, humor, and memorable set pieces, though its inconsistencies and rushed ending limit its impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Edgar Brodie and Elsa question the morality of their mission after an erroneous killing and the discovery of the actual target.
The fake general, Peter Lorre's eccentric trigger man, and the mission's mishaps temper the grim wartime premise with humor.
The mission proceeds through memorable encounters involving the hotel, the Alps, mistaken identity, and the pursuit of the German agent.
The film's black-and-white imagery emphasizes Switzerland, the Alps, hotels, and the contrast between scenic beauty and covert violence.
Films like Secret Agent, and why
The 39 Steps
british espionage thriller with romantic interplay, black humor, and brisk suspense set against wartime intrigue
The Lady Vanishes
hitchcockian spy suspense blending international intrigue, romance, comic relief, and morally uneasy assassination
Foreign Correspondent
classic espionage melodrama combining undercover missions, romantic tension, and wartime moral ambiguity
The Third Man
stylish black-and-white spy thriller centered on deception, identity, and compromised loyalties
Movie Details
- Director
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Release Date
- 1936-05-11
- Runtime
- 86 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (176)
Cast
- Madeleine Carroll
- John Gielgud
- Peter Lorre
- Robert Young
- Percy Marmont
- Florence Kahn
- Charles Carson
- Lilli Palmer
- Denys Blakelock
- Sebastian Cabot
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- FILMBOX+ Stream, Artiflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Secret Agent about?
- A novelist-turned-agent and his enigmatic accomplice navigate mistaken killings, romantic intrigue, and wartime espionage in the Swiss Alps.
- What is Secret Agent like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Secret Agent as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Secret Agent violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Secret Agent as mild.
- What did critics think of Secret Agent?
- Critics generally regard it as entertaining Hitchcockian spy melodrama with strong performances, technical flair, humor, and memorable set pieces, though its inconsistencies and rushed ending limit its impact.
- Which films are like Secret Agent?
- Films with a similar feel include The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Foreign Correspondent, and The Third Man.
- How long is Secret Agent?
- Secret Agent runs 86 minutes.
- Where can I watch Secret Agent?
- In United States, Secret Agent streams on FILMBOX+ Stream, Artiflix.
