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| A nonchalant, pistol-toting star Charles Laughton dominates this drama-promising poster for Alfred Hitchcock's Jamaica Inn |
On the South-English coast near Cornwall lies the Jamaica Inn, around where in 1820 arranged shipwrecks, ship-looting and corruption from a group around local squire and justice of the peace Pengallan spread havoc.
Jamaica Inn is written by Sidney Gilliat (Wee Geordie (1955)) and Joan Harrison (Nocturne (1946)), with J.B. Priestley (Snoggl (1993, TV movie)) contributing additional dialog, adapting the same-titled 1936 novel by Daphne du Maurier (The Scapegoat (1957)), and directed by English master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock (The Pleasure Garden (1925)), whose 24th feature it was. It was Hitchcock's first of three Du Maurier adaptations he did (the others being Rebecca (1940) and The Birds (1963)) and his last film before heading to America, (although he returned to make films now and again in the UK since.)
Freed of the more or less foolish mix-up romances and tongue-in-cheek elements of his preceding English output, Hitch here spins a more hard-boiled theatrical drama with a colorful Charles Laughton (Salome (1953)), who also co-produced the film, in the overshadowing lead as the villainous, detestable Sir Humphrey Pengallan. The rascals at loose here may be small time crooks, but the portrayals are very good nonetheless. The story has many twists, and the ending, in traditional Hitchcock style, is grand (in more ways than one!) and spectacular.
Related posts:
Alfred Hitchcock: Frenzy (1972) - Hitchcock's great, morbid tie killer thriller
The Birds (1963) - Hitchcock spearheads horror sub-genre and innovative special effects in great, odd film
Dial M for Murder (1954) - Hitchcock's 3D thriller is hindered by theatrics
I Confess (1953) - Hitch's great drama of a Father caught by the confessional vow
The 39 Steps (1935) or, Murder and High Jinx!
Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: Reportedly 200k £
Box office: Unknown
= Uncertain
[Jamaica Inn premiered 12 May (London) and runs 108 minutes. Hitchcock tried to get out of making the film and later said it was among his most unhappy as a director. This was especially due to the difficulties of working with star/co-producer Laughton, and also because Hitchcock had an aversion to costume films, which he believed himself unable to do. Shooting took place in England, including at the actual Jamaica Inn. The film is said to have turned 'a small profit'. Du Maurier also publicly disliked the film due to its disloyalty to her novel. Hitchcock returned with Rebecca (1940). Laughton returned in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939). 12k+ IMDb users have given Jamaica Inn an average 6.3/10 rating.]
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