[Quick Summary: Barry, an aircraft laborer, is accused of sabotage, and uncovers a conspiracy.]
This is my two cents: The script starts out strong, then wanders
...and wanders...
...and wanders.
However, it was nice to see examples of Hitchcock's famous formula for suspense, i.e., "the audience knows there's a bomb under the table."
Ex. 1: Barry confronts the shady lawyer, Mr. Tobin, at home.
When Tobin is away, his granddaughter toddles over to Barry.
She innocently hands him a dropped telegram. It is from the real saboteur to Mr. Tobin. [This is the bomb.]
Tobin returns. [Will the bomb go off?]
Tobin calls Barry out for reading the telegram, and his thugs corner Barry. [Bomb is released.]
Ex. 2: The cornered Barry picks up the granddaughter. [Another bomb.]
He uses her as a shield to escape. [Will the bomb go off?]
He puts her down and gets away. [Bomb goes off.]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: A bomb is interesting to watch because it often benefits one side over the other (Ex. 1 above).
After it is released, the story is at a new level, usually because there's a mad scramble to re-shift the power back (Ex. 2 above).
Saboteur (1942)
by Peter Viertel, Joan Harrison, & Dorothy Parker
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