Jamaica Inn (1939)

Top cast35

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Maureen O'Hara

Mary Yellan

Robert Newton

Jem Trehearne - Sir Humphrey's Gang

Charles Laughton

Sir Humphrey Pengallan

Horace Hodges

Chadwick - Sir Humphrey's Butler

Hay Petrie

Sam - Sir Humphrey's Groom

Frederick Piper

Davis - Sir Humphrey's Agent

Herbert Lomas

Dowland - Sir Humphrey's Tenant

Clare Greet

Granny Tremarney - Sir Humphrey's Tenant

William Devlin

Burdkin - Sir Humphrey's Tenant

Jeanne De Casalis

Sir Humphrey's Friend
(as Jeanne de Casalis)

Mabel Terry-Lewis

Lady Beston - Sir Humphrey's Friend
(as Mabel Terry Lewis)

A. Bromley Davenport

Ringwood - Sir Humphrey's Friend
(as Bromley Davenport)

George Curzon

Captain Murray - Sir Humphrey's Friend

Basil Radford

Lord George - Sir Humphrey's Friend

Leslie Banks

Joss Merlyn

Marie Ney

Patience Merlyn

Emlyn Williams

Harry the Peddler - Sir Humphrey's Gang

Wylie Watson

Salvation Watkins - Sir Humphrey's Gang

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Did you know

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Trivia
This was reportedly one of Sir Alfred Hitchcock's unhappiest directing jobs. He felt caught between Charles Laughton and Laughton's business partners. Later, he said that he did not so much direct this movie as referee it.

Goofs
Toward the end of the film as the ship is heading for the rocks, someone yells "Hard a port!" The helmsman then turns the wheel to starboard and then the ship is seen moving to starboard.

Quotes
[first title card]
Title Card: "Oh Lord, we pray thee ~~ not that wrecks should happen ~~ but that if they do happen / Thou wilt guide them ~~ to the coast of Cornwall ~~ for the benefit of the poor inhabitants."
Title Card: So ran an old Cornish prayer of the early nineteenth century, but in that lawless corner of England, before the British Coastguard Service came into being...
Title Card: ...there existed gangs who, for the sake of plunder deliberately planned the wrecks, luring ships to their doom on the cruel rocks of the wild Cornish coast.

Crazy credits
[Prologue] "Oh Lord, we pray thee -- not that wrecks should happen -- but that if they do happen Thou wilt guide them -- to the coast of Cornwall -- for the benefit of the poor inhabitants." So ran an old Cornish prayer of the early nineteenth century, but in that lawless corner of England, before the British Coastguard Service came into being . . . . . . . . . . there exited gangs who, for the sake of plunder deliberately planned the wrecks, luring ships to their doom on the cruel rocks of the wild Cornish coast.

Alternate versions
There are about eight minutes of footage missing from various unauthorized US DVDs of Jamaica Inn. This is due to them being bootlegged from old, worn copies of edited US theatrical release prints. The missing footage should appear at the end of chapter 14 (approx 00:51:55). As Jem and Sir H leave the room, the DVD cuts to Mary, Patience and Joss at Jamaica Inn. There's now no explanation as to how Mary returned there, or why Sir H and Jem (now dressed in a military uniform) are banging on the door outside. These bootleg DVDs are known to have footage missing:
R0 Laserlight Video/Delta Entertainment (USA, 2000)
R0 Westlake Entertainment Group (USA, 2004)
R0 Diamond Entertainment (Alfred Hitchcock: Collector's Edition Volume 1, USA, 2003) These authorized DVDs are known to have the footage intact:
R0 Kino Video/Image Entertainment (USA, 1999)
R2 Carlton Visual Entertainment Ltd (UK, 2003) All other authorized releases also have the complete UK version, as per the Alfred Hitchcock Collectors' Guide.

Connections
Edited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)

If it weren't for the cinematography we wouldn't recognize Hitchcock. He must have liked Daphne DuMaurier, using the Birds and Rebecca later. This is just a pretty confusing, pedestrian film, with some great actors. The story is, however, quite bland. It involves the arrival of a beautiful young woman at the evil Jamaica Inn. The inn is the hiding place for a band of pirates who lure ships unto the rocks,murder the crew, and pillage. The head of the organization is Charles Laughton at his pompous, window, Henry VIII best. He is in control of every scene, overacting and winking at the audience. The young woman is caught up in her trust for this man, and finds herself in his clutches by the end of the movie. The rest of the band, including Robert Newton (A-a-a-r) from Treasure Island are quite photogenic. It's an OK movie but just a little too much to swallow. I had always been curious with it and am investigating the Hitchcock films I had never seen.