Hitchcock wanted Donat for the role of Edgar Brodie in "Secret Agent" (1936) and Detective Ted Spencer in "Sabotage" (1936), but this time Korda refused to release him. John Gielgud replaced him in "Secret Agent", while John Loder took the role in "Sabotage". MGM wanted him for "Romeo and Juliet" but he turned them down. Sam Goldwyn made several offers which were turned down, as was an offer from David O. Selznick to appear in "The Garden of Allah" and from Small to make "The Son of Monte Cristo".