Jamaica Inn (1939)

☆ ☆ ☆

Jamaica Inn (1939) – A. Hitchcock

Hitchcock was outmaneuvered by Charles Laughton who gloriously struts his stuff (to a German waltz, according to Hitchcock-Truffaut) as the Lord who secretly backs the wreckers who cause ships to crash into the Cornish shore during storms and then loot them, killing all aboard.  Although Hitch claimed that Laughton demanded more screen time, thus forcing a rewrite of the script, the Master still manages to create suspense (not surprise) as we know that undercover law officer Robert Newton is imperilling himself by running to magistrate Laughton to turn in the evil band.  Maureen O’Hara drives much of the action even if she often has to bide her time in the damsel-in-distress position.  Although there were clearly ship models in use, the outdoor scenes evoke the silent era (Hitch’s training ground) and there is some fancy camerawork at the end, when Laughton is finally brought to justice.  Not the major flop that some declare (and surely one of Hitchcock’s least favourite films, by his own admission) but enjoyable nevertheless.