Jamaica Inn (1939)

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Trivia

In his later interviews with François Truffaut, Alfred Hitchcock remembered with annoyance how Charles Laughton asked at the beginning of the shooting to be filmed only in close-ups, as the actor had yet to decide the way his character should walk. Laughton came to Hithcock ten days later claiming to have figured it out: the walk was apparently inspired by the beat of an old German waltz.

Quotes

Captain: Can you make out the beacon light?

Goofs

Sir Humphrey Pengallen is said to be an old friend of King George IV, who has recently acceded to the British throne. However, the film takes place in 1819 and George IV did not become king until January 29, 1820.

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.

Release Date:

Filming Locations

02 October 2020 | Trailers from Hell
Laurent Bouzereau

18 February 2020 | Trailers from Hell
Endless Night (Region B)

30 August 2019 | The Film Stage
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