The Peaks of Suspense, Paranoia and Propaganda

Rating: Null/10 (23 May 2012)

The credits begin; a silhouette approaches closer to the forefront as the music heightens in intensity. Is it a red herring or something more? We are given this conundrum whilst thrust into a world of suspense and paranoia where things are not as they seem. This is where Saboteur begins to weave a web of suspicion to play with its audience.
Protagonist Barry's journey of suspense and paranoia begins when his colleague is killed as a result of a fire extinguisher filled with gasoline is used as a form of sabotage planned by disguised Nazis. Suspicion falls on Barry forcing him on the run to seek out the truth, becoming America's most wanted man while attempting to gain the trust of others. Saboteur makes clever use of micro techniques in which keeps the audience edgy as the experience of paranoia and fears of the characters are conveyed. A rattling fire extinguisher evoking painful memories for Barry, who stares bleakly into the camera to gain the attention of the audience and the motif of the billboards which contain coincidental messages such as 'You're Being Followed'. This all helps fuel Barry's paranoia which in turn manipulates on the mind of the audience.
The further Barry entangles himself in his quest for the truth the more intensifying the atmosphere gets. Unconvinced of his innocence Patricia holds Barry hostage till she can report him to the authorities. She stops by the roadside to seek help; Barry takes this opportunity to break free from his handcuffs. Using the fan belt within the engine, the dramatic score begins to heighten in volume and the editing works its magic with multiple jump cuts between Patricia in the distance, Barry anxiously looking on and the close up of the handcuffs slowly breaking apart. The fast pace of this scene is the perfection of suspense in Saboteur creating a great dramatic scene with suspenseful touches.
Although the suspense and paranoia is constant throughout Saboteur, the public consciousness concerning WWII is ever evident. This is personified through the attitude of Patricia, who at first refuses to believe Barry's innocence. She acts suspicious of his every move and even tells Barry he has the look of a saboteur. It all sounds ridiculous to today's audience knowing Barry's plight yet Patricia's notions show the hatred and distrust the American public had of anyone associated with enemy activity. This may even be a critique of such attitudes by Hitchcock as it is left to a group of misfits to remind the audience, more importantly the then American public about what they were all fighting for.
Gaining a ride with a travelling circus Barry and Patricia are made to feel welcome except for one who the group differ with. Once they hear police sirens Barry confesses he is the person they are after. Instead of becoming hostile they decide wherever to hand him over by a vote based fairness, which one member states is the democracy the Allied forces are fighting for. The vote keeps Barry safe and in turn makes Patricia reflect on her mistrust for him. "They made me so ashamed", she exclaims emotionally which may now come across as sentimental but at the time of Saboteur's release would have been a powerful reminder of what the public felt their troops were fighting for.
It is not only in patriotic showings like this where America was reminded of the situation they faced; it was also through the seemingly innocent appearances of the villains which would have made for a more terrifying realisation. The villains in Saboteur disguise themselves within society. Charles Tobin is a respected ranch owner who spends his time relaxing in his pool playing with his granddaughter and Mrs Sutton, a wealthy woman who host charity galas at her home. They did not appear to be stereotypical villains making this aspect of Saboteur more frightening. Who can you trust? It was a dark and chilling reminder of the masquerading which took place during wartime.
Saboteur works on two levels. Historically it highlights to those unfamiliar with the time the fear contained in the psyche of the general public concerning the enemy. While Saboteur today may not complete with the more sophisticated contemporary films on a technique level, it still has a style of its own both in micro and macro aspects which can be appreciated.