The Paradine Case (1947)

A happily married London barrister falls in love with the accused poisoner he is defending.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Robert Hichens (from the novel by), Alma Reville (adaptation),

Stars:

Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Charles Laughton

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Gregory Peck	...	Anthony Keane
Ann Todd	...	Gay Keane
Charles Laughton	...	Judge Lord Thomas Horfield
Charles Coburn	...	Sir Simon Flaquer
Ethel Barrymore	...	Lady Sophie Horfield
Louis Jourdan	...	Andre Latour
Alida Valli	...	Mrs. Paradine (as Valli)
Leo G. Carroll	...	Sir Joseph
Joan Tetzel	...	Judy Flaquer
Isobel Elsom	...	Innkeeper

Storyline

The beautiful Mrs. Paradine is accused of poisoning her older, blind husband. She hires married Anthony Keane as her lawyer and when he begins to fall in love with her, she encourages him.

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Plot Keywords:

lawyer | barrister | marriage | italian | big ben london | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 1949 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's The Paradine Case

Filming Locations:

Lake District, Cumbria, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$4,258,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vanguard Films, Selznick Studio, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min 119 min (re-release) 132 min (original release) 94 min (edited television) 115 min (re-release)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Hitchcock's rough cut and 131 minutes version, Ethel Barrymore can be seen as a half crazed wife of Lord Horfield played by Charles Laughton. But David O. Selznick removed these scenes in the final editing and the final runtime was only 114 minutes.

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Goofs

When Gay gives Mr. Keane a drink, she completely empties the cocktail shaker. However, after she gives him the drink, she takes the same cocktail shaker and supplies a drink for herself.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lakin: Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes, mum.
Mrs. Maddalena Anna Paradine: Thank you, Lakin.

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Crazy Credits

In opening credits scroll below Ethel Barrymore: "and two new / Selznick Stars / Louis Jourdan / and / Valli". Alida Valli's name is in script form, and Jourdan had been playing leading roles in French films for several years before making "The Paradine Case".

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood (1998)

User Reviews

The Selznick/Hitchcock Touch

I wish some other star rather than Gregory Peck had played the lead role. Someone like a Ronald Coleman (whom Hitchcock wanted) or Laurence Olivier (whom Selznick wanted). I personally would have loved Robert Donat, but any of the above would have served better. I like Peck normally, but in this film, he's too young and never convincingly English, despite his accent. Even without the accent, he doesn't suggest someone who is passionately and irrationally swept away, as the role calls for.

That said, I still love the film. Some Hitchcock films I love more--as I guess we all do--but I prefer this one over others. View THE PARADINE CASE and then compare it with the master's three movies that followed, those he directed without Selznick (ROPE, UNDER CAPRICORN, STAGE FRIGHT), and you'll see the touch that pervades those he made with Selznick. All the Selznick/Hitchcock flicks are wonderful; they are the director's most glamorous and romantic movies.