O Caso Paradine (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	...	Maddalena Anna Paradine (as Valli)
Leo G. Carroll	...	Sir Joseph
Joan Tetzel	...	Judy Flaquer
Isobel Elsom	...	Innkeeper

Storyline

Highly successful London barrister Anthony Keane takes on the case of Italian Maddalena Paradine who is accused of poisoning her blind military hero husband. Keane comes increasingly under her spell, threatening both his marriage and his career.

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Plot Keywords:

lawyer | barrister | italian | marriage | rural setting | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

M/12

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 November 1949 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

O Caso Paradine

Filming Locations:

Lake District, Cumbria, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$4,258,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Selznick International Pictures,Vanguard Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min 119 min (re-release) 132 min (original) 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

DIRECTOR CAMEO (Sir Alfred Hitchcock): Getting off a train at the Cumberland station carrying a cello.

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Goofs

When Latour appears outside Keane's inn room, the wind is blowing wildly, whipping Latour's hair across his forehead; yet just a split-second later, after Latour has entered the room, his hair is perfectly combed without a hair out of place.

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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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Alternate Versions

Originally released at 132 minutes.

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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.