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Jamaica Inn

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Jamaica Inn

Released Oct 13, 1939

1h 39m

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

35%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

After the death of her mother, young Mary (Maureen O'Hara) travels to the Cornish coast seeking her Aunt Patience (Marie Ney). Stranded on a windswept, isolated road, Mary meets Humphrey Pengallan (Charles Laughton), who kindly escorts her to the Jamaica Inn. There, Mary meets her aunt and bullying uncle, Merlyn Joss (Leslie Banks) -- who secretly leads a band of pirates that pilfers the goods from wrecked ships. Suspicious, Mary turns to Pengallan for help, only to discover another dark secret.

Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

In spite of some creaky motivation, it is true enough in general outline and in the part of Laughton absolutely genuine, meaningful beyond Stevenson (and probably the book itself). It has suspense and a good run of motion.

Dec 27, 2023

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

A forgettable, generally forgotten Hitchcock gothic.

Jul 6, 2022

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Stephanie Zacharek

Village Voice

Laughton is compelling from the first instant: His Pengallan is at least five of the seven deadly sins rolled into one, a cheerfully loathsome creature with wide-set eyebrows and a multitude of chins ...

Feb 3, 2015

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Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

While suspenseful if you aren’t familiar with the story, this never fully achieves a truly gothic ominous.

Jul 25, 2023

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Hitchcock claimed he felt like a referee on the film, unable to reign in Laughton. But to his credit, Laughton mutates a potentially stuffy villain into a terrifically offbeat, perversely repellant portrayal.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 27, 2020

Full Review

Craig J. Clark

The Dissolve

It could have come across as strictly a work-for-hire gig, but it displays enough Hitchcockery to show he wasn't as disengaged from the material as he would later claim he was.

Rated: 3.5/5

May 18, 2015

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Will G

An early Hitchcock film. It’s about a wealthy man and some scoundrels who spend some time at an Inn in England. The acting was good. There were nice scenes of ships arriving. This was remade recently.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/25

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Terry M

Daphne du Maurier and Alfred Hitchcock, both of Rebecca fame, what could go wrong? Well, everything really. Dodgy cinematography, even for the time. Charles Laughton hamming it like Matt Lucas. Slow paced. Give this one a hard pass.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/05/24

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Steve D

Only passable despite the talent.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

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SICKS6SIX S

THE PUBLIC CRITICS SCORED THIS FILM AT 35% I MUST HAVE BEEN WATCHING A DIFFERENT FILM FROM THEM, LAWTON'S ACTING IS GREAT, AND HE DRAGS YOU ALONG WITH HIM RIGHT TO HIS UNTIMELY DEMISE, OR IS THAT TIMELY DEMISE?

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie wasn't really as bad as it seems. Some parts of it may drag a little bit, but overall it was tense and easy to follow. Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara are a good pairing and they both do a great job.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

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georgan g

Maureen O'Hara's feature film debut! She is beautiful and a great actress.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Charles Laughton

Sir Humphrey Pengallan

Maureen O'Hara

Mary

Leslie Banks

Joss Merlyn

Emlyn Williams

Harry

Robert Newton

James "Jem" Trehearne

Strange Cargo

75%

60%

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Synopsis

After the death of her mother, young Mary (Maureen O'Hara) travels to the Cornish coast seeking her Aunt Patience (Marie Ney). Stranded on a windswept, isolated road, Mary meets Humphrey Pengallan (Charles Laughton), who kindly escorts her to the Jamaica Inn. There, Mary meets her aunt and bullying uncle, Merlyn Joss (Leslie Banks) -- who secretly leads a band of pirates that pilfers the goods from wrecked ships. Suspicious, Mary turns to Pengallan for help, only to discover another dark secret.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Erich Pommer, Charles Laughton
Screenwriter: Daphne Du Maurier, Sidney Gilliat, Joan Harrison, Sidney Gilliat, Alma Reville, J.B. Priestley
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, LS Video, Kino Video, Reel Media International [us]
Production Co: Mayflower Pictures
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 1939, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Mono

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