Jamaica Inn

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Jamaica Inn

1939

1h 39m

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

36%

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

12/27/2023

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.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

07/06/2022

A forgettable, generally forgotten Hitchcock gothic.

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Stephanie Zacharek

Village Voice

02/03/2015

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 ...

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Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

07/25/2023

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

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

10/27/2020

3.5/5

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.

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Craig J. Clark

The Dissolve

05/18/2015

3.5/5

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.

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Will G

Feb 7

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.

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Terry M

11/02/2024

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.

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Steve D

01/10/2024

Only passable despite the talent.

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SICKS6SIX S

02/17/2023

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?

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02/12/2022

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.

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georgan g

08/27/2021

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

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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

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75%

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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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