Jamaica Inn

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Jamaica Inn

1939

1h 39m

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

54%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

36%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

After the death of her mother, young Mary travels to the Cornish coast seeking her Aunt Patience. Stranded on a windswept, isolated road, Mary meets Humphrey Pengallan, who kindly escorts her to the Jamaica Inn. There, Mary meets her aunt and bullying uncle, Joss Merlyn—who secretly leads a band of pirates that pilfers the goods from wrecked ships. Suspicious, Mary turns to Pengallan for help, only to discover another dark secret.

Otis Ferguson

The New Republic

Dec 27, 2023

In spite of some creaky motivation, it is true enough in general outline and in the part of Laughton absolutely genuine, meaningful beyond Stevenson (and probably the book itself). It has suspense and a good run of motion.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Jul 6, 2022

A forgettable, generally forgotten Hitchcock gothic.

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Stephanie Zacharek

Village Voice

Feb 3, 2015

Laughton is compelling from the first instant: His Pengallan is at least five of the seven deadly sins rolled into one, a cheerfully loathsome creature with wide-set eyebrows and a multitude of chins ...

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Kristin Battestella

InSession Film

Jul 25, 2023

While suspenseful if you aren’t familiar with the story, this never fully achieves a truly gothic ominous.

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Oct 27, 2020

3.5/5

Hitchcock claimed he felt like a referee on the film, unable to reign in Laughton. But to his credit, Laughton mutates a potentially stuffy villain into a terrifically offbeat, perversely repellant portrayal.

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Craig J. Clark

The Dissolve

May 18, 2015

3.5/5

It could have come across as strictly a work-for-hire gig, but it displays enough Hitchcockery to show he wasn't as disengaged from the material as he would later claim he was.

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Bill T.

@btreakle Feb 12, 2026

“Jamaica Inn “ This film the Jamaica Inn Is a 1939 film starring Charles laughton Maureen O’Hara Robert Newman Marie Ney and Leslie Banks. In this movie Maureen O’Hare plays a niece to a sister who owns an inn called the Jamaica inn in Cornwall. She is an orphan and goes to live with her aunt in Cornwall only to discover that her aunt is married to a scoundrel. Pretty sure this is one of marine o’hara’s earlier films she is so young in this but she plays a great role and a good supporting cast and it's probably one of my favorites of the early talking movies in black and white of course. If you like Alfred Hitchcock and you like Maureen O’Hara then you’re definitely gonna like this film I’m not going to give too much away and enjoy

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Will G

@Wgoodeve Feb 7, 2025

An early Hitchcock film. It’s about a wealthy man and some scoundrels who spend some time at an Inn in England. The acting was good. There were nice scenes of ships arriving. This was remade recently.

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Terry M

@RT94717813 Nov 2, 2024

Daphne du Maurier and Alfred Hitchcock, both of Rebecca fame, what could go wrong? Well, everything really. Dodgy cinematography, even for the time. Charles Laughton hamming it like Matt Lucas. Slow paced. Give this one a hard pass.

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Steve D

@RT35616104 Jan 10, 2024

Only passable despite the talent.

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SICKS6SIX S

@sicks6six Feb 17, 2023

THE PUBLIC CRITICS SCORED THIS FILM AT 35% I MUST HAVE BEEN WATCHING A DIFFERENT FILM FROM THEM, LAWTON'S ACTING IS GREAT, AND HE DRAGS YOU ALONG WITH HIM RIGHT TO HIS UNTIMELY DEMISE, OR IS THAT TIMELY DEMISE?

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Feb 12, 2022

This movie wasn't really as bad as it seems. Some parts of it may drag a little bit, but overall it was tense and easy to follow. Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara are a good pairing and they both do a great job.

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Alfred Hitchcock

Director

Charles Laughton

Sir Humphrey Pengallan

Maureen O'Hara

Mary

Leslie Banks

Joss Merlyn

Emlyn Williams

Harry

Robert Newton

James "Jem" Trehearne

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67%

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Synopsis

After the death of her mother, young Mary travels to the Cornish coast seeking her Aunt Patience. Stranded on a windswept, isolated road, Mary meets Humphrey Pengallan, who kindly escorts her to the Jamaica Inn. There, Mary meets her aunt and bullying uncle, Joss Merlyn—who secretly leads a band of pirates that pilfers the goods from wrecked ships. Suspicious, Mary turns to Pengallan for help, only to discover another dark secret.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Producer: Erich Pommer, Charles Laughton
Screenwriter: Daphne Du Maurier, Sidney Gilliat, Joan Harrison, Sidney Gilliat, Alma Reville, J.B. Priestley
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, LS Video, Kino Video, Reel Media International [us]
Production Co: Mayflower Pictures
Genre: Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 1939, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2016
Runtime: 1h 39m
Sound Mix: Mono

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