Jamaica Inn (1939)

Synopsis

Irish orphan girl Mary is sent to stay with Aunt Patience and Uncle Joss in Cornwall. Joss is the landlord of Jamaica Inn and also the head of a gang of pirates who lure ships to their doom on the rocky coast. Mary soon finds herself in trouble when she discovers the truth. (© IMDB)

Production

Coming soon...

Preservation Status

At some point, American film collector Raymond Rohauer took a print of the film and inserted replacement title credits. It's uncertain if Rohauer made any further alterations to the film, but this is often print used on official DVD releases of the film. Many of the America bootleg DVD releases of the film are missing around 8 minutes of footage which seriously impacts on the film's continuity.

In January 2013, the Cohen Media Group acquired the Rohauer Library of films and subsequently partnered with the British Film Institute to undertake a full 4K digital restoration of the film, based on the BFI's original nitrate negatives of the film. The new print was premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2014.

See Also...

For further relevant information about this film, see also...

• 1000 Frames of Jamaica Inn (1939)
• articles about Jamaica Inn (1939)
• complete cast and crew
• radio adaptations
• trivia
• web links to information, articles, reviews, etc

Technical Information

• black & white
• sound mix: mono (RCA Photophone System)
• aspect ratio: 1.37:1 Spherical
• running time: 108 minutes
• production studio: Mayflower Pictures
• also known as:
  • La Taverne de la Jamaïque (1939) - France

Releases

Blu-ray

Jamaica Inn (1939) - Cohen Media Group (Blu-ray, USA, 2015)91156 ▶ Amazon (USA)

DVD

	Jamaica Inn (1939) - Network (UK, 2008) - part of a box set PAL 1.33:1
	Riffpiraten (1939) - AmCo Tonträger (Germany, 2007) PAL 1.33:1
	La Taverne de la Jamaique (1939) - Universal (France, 2006) Amazon (France) R2 PAL 1.33:1
	Jamaica Inn (1939) - Waterfall Home Entertainment Ltd (UK, 2006) 1.33:1 Warning! This is a bootleg containing an unlicensed transfer (more info).

...view older DVD releases

Notes

• many of the US R1 DVDs are missing a short segment of film (more details)

Image Gallery

Images from the Hitchcock Gallery (click to view larger versions or search for all relevant images)...

Film Frames

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Themes

• multiple personalities - Charles Laughton's "Jekyll and Hyde" charater

Cast and Crew

Directed by:

• Alfred Hitchcock

Starring:

• Charles Laughton - Sir Humphrey Pengallan
• Maureen O'Hara - Mary, Joss' niece
• Leslie Banks - Joss Merlyn
• Emlyn Williams - Harry, the peddler
• Robert Newton - James 'Jem' Trehearne
• Marie Ney - Patience Merlyn, Joss' wife
• Wylie Watson - Salvation Watkins
• Morland Graham - Sea Lawyer Sydney
• Edwin Greenwood - Dandy
• Mervyn Johns - Thomas
• Horace Hodges - Chadwick - Sir Humphrey's butler
• Hay Petrie - Sam - Sir Humphrey's groom
• Frederick Piper - Davis, Sir Humphrey's agent
• Herbert Lomas - Sir Humphrey's tenant
• Clare Greet - Mrs Marney, Sir Humphrey's tenant

Produced by:

• Erich Pommer
• Charles Laughton

Written by:

• Daphne Du Maurier - original novel ("Jamaica Inn")
• Sidney Gilliat
• Joan Harrison
• J B Priestley

Photographed by:

• Bernard Knowles
• Harry Stradling Senior

Edited by:

• Robert Hamer

Music by:

• Eric Fenby

Costume Design by:

• Molly McArthur