Jamaica Inn is a 1939 film made by Alfred Hitchcock
adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 1936 novel of the same name,
the first of three of du Maurier's works that Hitchcock adapted
(the others were her novel Rebecca and short story "The Birds").
The film is a period piece set in Cornwall in 1819; the real Jamaica Inn still exists,
and is a pub on the edge of Bodmin Moor.
The score was written by Eric Fenby.
Jamaica Inn starred Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara.
Critics disparaged the film and today it is considered one of Hitchcock's lesser films.
However, the film still garnered a large profit
(3.7 million dollars, a huge success, at the time) at the box office.
A drama of pirates and smuggling,
with that great actor and mentor Charles Laughton,
Maureen acted well as the niece..
This was Alfred Hitchcock's last British film,
and also the time for Maureen, to pack her bags,
and also head for LA.
On a personal note, the real Jamaica Inn,
where this story is based, is on Bodmin Moor,
not many miles from where I once lived!
Although criticized at the time, I found it an enjoyable film.
User Review
No Bad Clergymen in America
9 January 2006 | by bkoganbing (Buffalo, New York)
According to Maureen O'Hara's memoirs, Alfred Hitchcock never liked to do period costume pieces, he felt those were not suitable to his particular talents. But he did this one for Daphne Du Maurier because he wanted to film Du Maurier's Rebecca later on. Which as we all know Hitchcock did and was very successful.
There are elements of Jamaica Inn that certainly might have appealed to Hitchcock. Maureen O'Hara arrives at the Jamaica Inn on Great Britain's Cornwall coast to stay with her aunt. The Inn however is the headquarters for a gang that wrecks ships on the coast, kills everyone on board and steals the cargo. Leslie Banks is the head of the group there. We also have a Georgian dandy in the person of Charles Laughton who has a lascivious eye for Maureen O'Hara. He's not what he appears to be. The whole idea of this innocent among the cutthroats not knowing who to trust would definitely have appealed to Hitchcock.
The original novel had Laughton's character as a hypocritical parson, but for American distribution his character was changed to a local nobleman. The Hays office forbade a man of the cloth be shown in such a light.
Parson or nobleman unfortunately Hitchcock did not rein in Laughton. In this particular film, he's just too hammy. Then again he was the co-producer of this so no one was in a position to tell him anything.
O'Hara credits Laughton for launching her career. He brought her to America right after this and had RKO sign her to play Esmerelda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. A far better film than Jamaica Inn.
Robert Newton and Emlyn Williams have roles of substance here as well. Jamaica Inn might be worth a look.