State Secret (1950)

An American surgeon (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) visiting England is invited to a small European country where he is to receive a state honor for his medical work. But even though he's apolitical, once he arrives he realizes it's a police state and it's not long before he understands he's being used for something sinister. Based on the novel by Roy Huggins and directed by Sidney Gilliat (GREEN FOR DANGER). This is a strong thriller in the style of Hitchcock. As a screenwriter, Gilliat had written THE LADY VANISHES for Hitchcock and NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH for Carol Reed and he clearly learned from them. Gilliat keeps the action tight and moves it quickly along. Fairbanks Jr. shows a bit more intensity than is usual for him and makes for a believable ordinary man thrust into extraordinary circumstances and living by his wits. As the girl helping him, the always appealing Glynis Johns makes for an attractive companion. Since most everyone in the country doesn't speak English (a special made up language was whipped up so as not to point fingers at any specific country), it contributes to Fairbanks' sense of being alone and adrift in an unfriendly environment. Italy stands in for the unnamed country. With Jack Hawkins, Herbert Lom, Anton Diffring and Eric Pohlmann.