Review of Saboteur

On one level, "Saboteur" is a derivative yet inventive and entertaining "wrong-man-on-the-run" thriller: there are fires, horse chases (!), jumps from hugh bridges, bomb explosions, shootouts in movie theaters, and of course the classic (if not very logical) Statue Of Liberty finale. On a second level, the picture is a smarter, more efficient wartime propaganda piece than most such efforts: instead of telling us the values of the American way of life that need to be defended, it presents a panorama of quirky characters "from all walks of life" who demonstrate them (helping a stranger in need; believing someone innocent until proven guilty; making democratic decisions in a group situation; etc.). There are some credibility gaps (for example, why the saboteurs keep Barry alive in New York is never explained - they don't even set him up to take the fall for their plan); there are also some truly bizarre Hitchcockian moments (the singing in the car; the audience laughing throughout what appers to be a serious movie in the film theater scene). Robert Cummings is a rather wooden lead, but the supporting cast - particularly Otto Kruger as a well-spoken villain - makes up for him. *** out of 4.