Jamaica Inn is a 1939 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock adapted from Daphne du Mauriers 1936 novel of the same name, the first of three of du Mauriers works that Hitchcock adapted (the others were her novel Rebecca and short story The Birds). O 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 a prayer in the early nineteenth century, before there were formal lighthouses, in Cornwall, a lawless corner of Britain . . . Jamaica Inn is headquarters to a gang of smugglers, led by the innkeeper Joss Merlyn (Leslie Banks). The smugglers extinguish coastal beacons to cause ships to run aground on the Cornish coast. Then they loot the wrecks and kill the surviving sailors. As Mary Yellen (Maureen OHara) is travelling in a carriage, the driver refuses to drop her at Jamaica Inn as she requested. The passengers are also incredulous that a young lady wants to go to Jamaica Inn, but she gets off even though the carriage will not go back. Instead, she is dropped near the home of Sir Humphrey Pengallan (Charles Laughton) and requests a horse so she can continue her travels. Everyone there also tells her not to go there. Nevertheless, Mary says she just came from Ireland, and as the orphaned niece of Josss wife Patience (Marie Ney), she intends to live at Jamaica Inn. The next day, Pengallan accompanies Mary to Jamaica Inn. Joss immediately tries to kiss and push himself on Mary when he sees her, while Patience is distraught to learn her sister has died. When Mary tells Joss it was actually Pengallan who took her to Jamaica Inn, Joss is shocked. He goes upstairs and reports to Pengallan, who is revealed to be the leader of the group. Meanwhile, the group of smugglers convene to discuss a leak of goods, and suspect Traherne (Robert Newton), a gang member who has been with them for two months, of embezzling goods. As he is lynched by his fellow smugglers for embezzling, Mary cuts down the rope and saves his life. Joss is furious that Traherne escaped and that Mary helped him, worried that Traherne has enough information to sell out the gang to the authorities. The two hide as the gang looks for them, and seek shelter near the sea. Later that night, Joss goes to Pengallan to inform him that Traherne escaped, but Pengallan is furious that Joss came to his house, as there shouldnt be any connection between the two. The next morning, they flee the beach as the gang corners them down a cavern, and seek the protection of Pengallan, not knowing that he actually protects Josss gang and uses the loot to maintain his lavish lifestyle. When Traherne reveals that he is actually a secret law-officer, trying to bring down Josss gang, Pengallan is shocked. Pengallan and Traherne perform a search of the Jamaica Inn, Pengallan takes Joss aside and tells him a wreck needs to be performed because he needs the money. The gang takes Pengallan and Traherne hostage as a ploy to fool Traherne. After the gang leaves, Pengallan releases himself from the restraints and tells Patience to kill Traherne if he is close to escaping. Traherne reasons with her, and she releases him and tells him where the wreck -- and the gang -- will be. Meanwhile, Mary escapes captivity and releases a beacon to warn the ship. The ship then turns away and does not wreck. Mary is cornered by the gang, Joss rescues her and they escape by horse cart, but he collapses when he reaches Jamaica Inn. As Patience is about to tell Mary that Pengallan is crooked, she is shot and killed. Joss then dies as well. Pengallan takes her hostage and tells her he will take care of her now that she has no one. The gang returns to Jamaica Inn to find Joss and Patience dead. Just then, the authorities arrive and take the gang into custody. Traherne goes to find Mary, and Pengallan is cornered on the ship. He threatens to kill Mary, but instead climbs the mast of the ship and jumps to his death
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:02:40 +0000
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