Under Capricorn (1949)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

John Colton (play) and
Margaret Linden (play) ...

Release Date:

8 October 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Mystery, murder and passion from the master of suspense!

Plot:

In 1831, Irishman Charles Adare travels to Australia to start a new life with the help of his cousin who has just been appointed governor...

Plot Keywords:

Governor | Love Triangle | Unrequited Love | Sydney Australia | Marriage

Cast

Ingrid Bergman	...	Lady Henrietta Flusky
Joseph Cotten	...	Sam Flusky
Michael Wilding	...	Hon. Charles Adare
Margaret Leighton	...	Milly
Cecil Parker	...	The Governor
Denis O'Dea	...	Mr. Corrigan
Jack Watling	...	Winter
Harcourt Williams	...	The Coachman
John Ruddock	...	Mr. Potter
Bill Shine	...	Mr. Banks
Victor Lucas	...	The Rev. Smiley
Ronald Adam	...	Mr. Riggs
Francis De Wolff	...	Major Wilkins (as Francis de Wolff)
G.H. Mulcaster	...	Dr. Macallister
Olive Sloane	...	Sal

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

UK:PG (re-rating) (2006) | UK:A (original rating) (1949) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Transatlantic Pictures

Trivia:

According to the Book "Its only a Movie", Alfred Hitchcock originally wanted Arthur Laurents to do the screenplay. After reading Helen Simpson's novel “Under Capricorn”, Arthur Laurents told Hitchcock that he was the wrong writer for the project. So Alfred Hitchcock hired James Bridie to do the screenplay instead.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As the characters gather for the dinner party, fairly early on in the film, the camera tracks backwards across the dining room. The table has been pushed into the path of the camera by the time it comes into view, but the candlesticks are still shaking severely from the jerking appearance of the table (their shaking lessens as the take continues).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'Topaz': An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin (2001) (V)

Australian Gothic

Alfred Hitchcock returned to the United Kingdom to make two of his lesser known works, Stage Fright and Under Capricorn. Neither of them score high on the credits of the master of suspense.

But Under Capricorn is remembered best as Ingrid Bergman's last Hollywood production because while this was playing in theaters, news of her out of wedlock pregnancy as a result of her affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini was announced. Hollywood quickly condemned Saint Ingrid as if somehow because she played Joan of Arc and a nun, she was held to some kind of higher moral standard.

Under Capricorn is best described as Australian Gothic, it's very similar to Rebecca with a touch of O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra and a bit of Wuthering Heights tossed in for effect. The setting is Australia in 1831 where new British King William IV has appointed a new governor, Cecil Parker, for New South Wales. And Parker has a cousin, Michael Wilding, who has accompanied him.

Wilding's an independent sort who when told not to associate with rich, but brooding landowner Joseph Cotten, does just the opposite. He remembers why he seems to know Cotten and his wife Ingrid Bergman. Back in Ireland, there was quite a bit of scandal when Bergman of the landed gentry and Cotten a groom on her estate eloped. Her brother came after them and Cotten was put on trial and found guilty of his murder. As it was a manslaughter rap, Cotten got the choice of going to Australia or a prison stretch. Cotten went to Australia and became pretty rich. Ingrid followed, but the happiness they sought eluded them. They're now a pair of miserable people who are shunned by polite society.

Like Rebecca, Under Capricorn has a housekeeper from hell in Margaret Leighton who may have gone back from Australia and become Mrs. Danvers great grandmother. Leighton has her eyes on Cotten and she's slowly poisoning Bergman. Leighton has turned the whole manor staff against Bergman when Wilding arrives on the scene.

Joseph Cotten is a bit more rough around the edges than we normally see him on film. Still he does deliver a nice performance whose sacrifice for love we eventually learn.

Though there are a lot of similarities to Rebecca, Under Capricorn is not nearly as well done. Still even second rate Hitchcock is better than first rate from a lot of people.