As many others have pointed out, the Paradine Case is not an exciting film and certainly a disappointment given that it's Hitchcock. But The strength of the film are Hitchcock's usual dark cinematography and camera shots. Jourdan's character's first appearance is the best example in this film.
The other strengths are the performances with Alida Valli, Ann Todd, and Louis Jourdan giving the strongest. Peck is arguably miscast in this. His inability to sustain a British accent, slipping between his natural American speech pattern and a weak British accent, doesn't make him believable in the role.
The screenplay itself is uneven with many characters introduced but not developed. Most notably is Ethel Barrymore as Lady Sophie Horfield. Miss Barrymore was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role. Yet her 3-4 minutes in the film does nothing for the story or the main the characters. Charles Coburn has a strong presence the first half and then seems to get forgotten that he's cast in the film.
If you're a Hitchcock fan interested in dealing into his complete filmography, then it's worth giving this a watch. A casual fan will probably find it difficult to stay engaged with the film.
7/10 or B-
The other strengths are the performances with Alida Valli, Ann Todd, and Louis Jourdan giving the strongest. Peck is arguably miscast in this. His inability to sustain a British accent, slipping between his natural American speech pattern and a weak British accent, doesn't make him believable in the role.
The screenplay itself is uneven with many characters introduced but not developed. Most notably is Ethel Barrymore as Lady Sophie Horfield. Miss Barrymore was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role. Yet her 3-4 minutes in the film does nothing for the story or the main the characters. Charles Coburn has a strong presence the first half and then seems to get forgotten that he's cast in the film.
If you're a Hitchcock fan interested in dealing into his complete filmography, then it's worth giving this a watch. A casual fan will probably find it difficult to stay engaged with the film.
7/10 or B-