A thrilling movie that -- while not among the top of handful of his films -- still strikes audiences as tense and highly entertaining many decades after its release.
Saboteur (1942)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:14
Fresh:11
Rotten:3
Average Rating:6.7/10
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: A forerunner to Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST, SABOTEUR is the story of defense plant worker Barry Kane (Robert Cummings), who stands falsely accused of planning a factory explosion that killed... A forerunner to Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST, SABOTEUR is the story of defense plant worker Barry Kane (Robert Cummings), who stands falsely accused of planning a factory explosion that killed his good friend. Recognizing that he has been set up and that no one is likely to believe his story, Kane is forced to piece together the little information he can recall from the event to find the true leader of a spy ring. The film carries themes later explored more deeply in other Hitchcock films. The lone hero escapes and races cross country, searching desperately for proof of his innocence. Kane has the good fortune to win the trust of a blind musician and later the affection of the musician's daughter, Patricia Martin (Priscilla Lane). Over the course of a series of explosive scenes Kane, both the pursuer and the pursued, approaches the inner circle of agents. Among the hairpin plot twists and near misses are the traditional absurd Hitchcockian touches--such as when the lovers seek refuge in a train car filled with circus misfits. The ultimate climax, the clash on the Statue of Liberty, is one of Hitchcock's most famous scenes. [More]
Starring: Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane, Otto Kruger, Norman Lloyd
Starring: Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane, Otto Kruger, Norman Lloyd, Alan Baxter, Clem Bevans, Alma Kruger, Vaughan Glaser
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Frank Lloyd, Jack H. Skirball
Screenwriter: Peter Viertel, Joan Harrison, Dorothy Parker
Composer: Charles Previn, Frank Skinner
Get This Movie
Reviews for Saboteur
The movie has its enjoyable, even humorous moments, but the brooding sense of danger and fear so prominent in his other films, are more noticeably absent.
Top-notch espionage thriller with a jaw-dropping finale atop the Statue of Liberty.
Of course Saboteur is well directed, though it's rather like visiting an art museum's 'early works' exhibit of an artist before he became the Master of his form.
To put it mildly, Mr. Hitchcock and his writers have really let themselves go. Melodramatic action is their forte, but they scoff at speed limits this trip.
...even the most avid Hitchcock fan will have a tough time embracing the film.
A solid action thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, but it has many plot flaws and suffers from poor pacing.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Saboteur at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!

Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!







