Pssst, want to check out Jamaica Inn in our new look?
Information
- Year
- 1939
- Runtime
- 108 min.
- Director
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Genres
- Crime, Adventure
- Rating *
- 6.4
- Votes *
- 7,591
- Checks
- 1,312
- Favs
- 26
- Dislikes
- 28
- Favs/checks
- 2.0% (1:50)
- Favs/dislikes
- 1:1
Top comments
-
Siskoid
While there's suspense in Jamaica Inn, Hitchcock isn't concentrating on it the way he does in later films. We just see too much. I could imagine a version of this story where Maureen O'Hara's capable Mary discovers she's living in a wretched hive of scum and villainy through sounds heard behind walls, and catching sight of something in a hole in the floor. Which she does, but we already know what she's going to see because we're also privy to the ship wreckers' meetings. Similarly, we know Charles Laughton's magistrate is in on it very early on, but if it robs us of a twist, it nevertheless works as a tension builder as the heroes trust the wrong person. If this piraty period piece (unusual for Hitchcock) ultimately flops for me, it's really because of its attitudes towards violent men. The ship wrecker's wife is behind him 100%, but he obviously beats her. It's not just her, the film ultimately forgives him. Laughton's insane villain is also shown compassion by Mary at a point where no compassion is merited. It's weird. Still a lot to like though, chiefly Maureen O'Hara's turn as a brave and clever 19th-Century heroine. 3 years 12 months ago -