Jamaica Inn (1939)

My Review

Alfred Hitchcock’s worst film of all time is undoubtedly “Jamaica Inn.” It is the story of a gang of criminals who cause shipwrecks off of the Cornwall coast by putting out warning beacons and then killing the crew and raiding the ships. The entire 108 boring minutes of this project was filled with a muddled plot, poorly written dialogue, and bad acting by over-rated actors like Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara in her big screen debut.

The writing team headed by Alma Reville (Mrs. Hitchcock) did a terrible job of adaptation of the 1936 novel by Daphne du Maurier. Hitch later used two more of her scripts, “Rebecca” (1940) and “The Birds” (1963), with greater success. Other screenwriters include Sidney Gilliat, Joan Harrison, and J. B. Priestly.

The unwatchable “Jamaica Inn” was nevertheless a success at the box office for producer Charles Laughton, Mayflower Pictures, Associated British Picture Corporation, and Paramount Pictures. This was Alfred Hitchcock’s last British production before moving to Hollywood. Next up: “Rebecca” and “Foreign Correspondent,” both released in 1940.