The Secret Agent (1936)

This film was one of Hitchcock's last British features before tootling off to America, and while not one of his best, it still deserves to be better known.  Set during the first World War, it has John Gielgud -- yes, he of the mellifluous voice -- declared dead in battle so that he can go to Switzerland and unearth a German spy.  Gielgud made several film appearances in the 30s before making his mark as one of our greatest stage actors, and he is frankly pretty stiff and unconvincing both in this movie and in others of the period.  He is accompanied by Peter Lorre playing an assassin and so-called Mexican general, wearing a curly wig and chasing the ladies a la Harpo Marx -- a completely OTT portrayal.  (On leaving Germany en route to Hollywood, Lorre did make two British pictures for Hitchcock -- this one and the first "The Man who Knew Too Much".)  The female roped in to pose as Gielgud's wife was Madeleine Carroll, a typical Hitchcock blonde, who was seen to better advantage in "The 39 Steps". And then we had American actor Robert Young playing his usual suave playboy image but turning out to be the big baddie, despite various red herrings en route -- most of which were filmed with the usual Hitch panache.  Finally if you look quick you can spot Michael Redgrave and Michael Rennie uncredited in bit parts.  So all in all the film still has all sorts of oddities to commend it.