Jamaica Inn (film)

Independent Films, Film Profiles

Jamaica Inn is a 1939 film made by Alfred Hitchcock adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 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 1820; 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.[2]Jamaica Inn is headquarters to a gang of smugglers, led by the innkeeper Joss (Leslie Banks). The smugglers conceal coastal beacons in order to cause ships to run aground. Then they loot the wrecks and kill the surviving sailors.Mary (Maureen O'Hara), the orphaned niece of Joss's wife Patience (Marie Ney) comes to live at the inn, and saves the life of Traherne (Robert Newton), a gang member lynched by his fellow smugglers for embezzling. Traherne is actually an inside man, trying to bring down Joss' gang. They flee the inn and seek the protection of Sir Humphrey Pengallon, the local magistrate, little knowing that that he actually protects Joss' gang, as he needs the loot in order to maintain his lavish lifestyle.Traherne and Mary must race against time to stop a ship from being wrecked, and an unlikely love affair blossoms.