Before Alfred Hitchcock crossed the Atlantic to begin his legendary Hollywood career, he directed Jamaica Inn, a moody, windswept thriller based on Daphne du Maurier’s 1936 novel. Released in 1939, this film marks Hitchcock’s last British production and the first of three du Maurier adaptations—followed by Rebecca (1940) and The Birds (1963).
Plot Overview
Set in 1820 Cornwall, the story follows Mary Yellan (played by Maureen O’Hara in her breakout role), who arrives at the ominous Jamaica Inn to live with her aunt and uncle. She soon discovers the inn is a front for a gang of wreckers—criminals who cause shipwrecks to loot cargo. The gang is secretly led by Sir Humphrey Pengallan, a local squire and justice of the peace, played with theatrical flair by Charles Laughton.
Cast Highlights
- Maureen O’Hara as Mary Yellan
- Charles Laughton as Sir Humphrey Pengallan
- Leslie Banks as Joss Merlyn
- Robert Newton as Jem Trehearne
- Emlyn Williams and Horace Hodges in supporting roles
Behind-the-Scenes Drama
- Hitchcock reportedly hated directing this film, saying he felt more like a referee between Laughton and his business partners than a filmmaker
- Laughton, who also co-produced the film, insisted on expanding his role, which disrupted Hitchcock’s original vision
- In a 1972 interview, Hitchcock recalled spending an entire morning filming a single close-up of Laughton, who broke down in tears from frustration
- Hitchcock did not make a cameo in this film—his last without one
Critical Legacy
- Despite Hitchcock’s dissatisfaction, Jamaica Inn was a box-office success, earning a profit of $3.7 million
- It was later listed in The Fifty Worst Films of All Time, though many fans and scholars argue that’s an unfair judgment
- The real-life Jamaica Inn still stands on Bodmin Moor, and remains a popular tourist destination for fans of the novel and film
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