SECRET AGENT (1936) UK portrait of John Gielgud

Vintage original 8 x 10″ (20 x 25 cm.) black-and-white single weight glossy silver gelatin print still photo, UK. John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, Robert Young, Lillie Palmer, dir: Alfred Hitchcock; Gaumont British Corp. There is minor curling to the still and some wear at the mid right side border and a tiny tear near the top right corner, very good-fine.

Based on a Campbell Dixon play and Somerset Maugham novel, Hitchcock and his writers brought to the screen a brilliant tale of mystery and thrills, tinged with comedy and romance, presented in a style all his own. The story is about three British agents assigned to assassinate a German spy during WWI. Two of them suffer problems when the mission conflicts with their consciences.

This is a rare British photo from the UK-release of the British Gaumont film. The portrait is coded “59Pub5”. Paper blurb and full British studio stamp on verso.