The Paradine Case (1947)

Powerful

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

'The Paradine Case' is lesser known and unpopular Hitchcock's film, and although it is better than one can assume based on reviews, but it definitely can't hold the candle compares with better movies from the 'Master of Suspense'. Alfred Hitchcock wrote the screenplay together with his wife Alma Reville before bringing playwright James Bridieto do polishing. Producer David O. Selznick wasn't satisfied and did lot of rewrites, usually rushing the new material on the set before shooting. That caused many clashes between Hitchcock and Selznick, and 'The Paradine Case' remained the last movie these two ever worked together. Hitchcock wasn't very passionate about the film anyway, so now we have this film that somehow is but it isn't. The skillful directing is there, but the story, although occasionally engaging, seems all over the place. Some scenes at the trial are outrageously ludicrous, like the breakdowns Louis Jourdan's and Gregory Peck's characters. Gregory Peck himself, who clearly tried his best, still felt out of place, and there was no real chemistry between him and Alida Valli to turn their relationship into fiery romance, but it was rather hissing balloon. Absolutely fantastic performances came from supporting cast, especially Charles Laughton, Ann Todd and Louis Jourdan to name a few.It is not bad movie, as the premise is interesting, the cast is great (although Gregory Peck and Alida Valli are clearly miscast, their performances alone aren't bad), the screenplay is too meandering, but besides those couple of really ridiculous moments it offers magnificent scenes (acting/writing/directing all perfect). 'The Paradine Case' is definitely worth to watch, even if it is one of the most 'hit and miss' movie of great Alfred Hitchcock.

A lesser-known Hitchcock courtroom drama. Intriguing, but not entirely satisfying. A woman, Anna Paradine, is on trial for the murder of her husband. Anthony Keane (played by Gregory Peck) agrees to represent her. After a while their relationship becomes more than client and lawyer...Plot turns out to be average, and the human/romantic drama is a damp squib. What gets it through is Hitchcock's style, and what style it is. He manages to create and maintain suspense out of nothing. The camera distances and angles are a treat, as is the editing.Solid performance by Gregory Peck, in an early role. Good support from Ann Todd, Charles Laughton, Alida Valli and Ethel Barrymore.

I've always been a Hitchcock fan but have put off watching this for several years as I had read the plot summary and some reviews and was wary of being disappointed. Finally giving into my worries, I confirm here and now that I was not wrong in my belief that I would be left sorry for the experience. It's a dour mess. The story makes no sense whatsoever. NONE of the characters are in the least sympathetic. The conflicts of interest between judge and jury and legal council are unbelievable. It's sad that a film starring Peck and Laughton and Coburn and Barrymore could result in something SO unsatisfying. I had to watch THE BIRDS immediately afterward to regain my sense of Hitchcock equilibrium.

You'll go a long way - though you could make a detour toward Beat The Devil - to find a more disparate and mis-matched cast than this, some of whom - what the hell is someone with the stature of Ethel Barrymore, for example, doing in a supporting role that has absolutely no bearing on the main thrust of the story, other than to add gravitas to the marquee. You could argue that for Hitchcock the late forties/early fifties was his Sinatra period - after early stardom Sinatra hit the skids in the late forties reaching a low point with Double Dynamite and Hitch fared little better with turkeys like this and Under Capricorn in the same period. If you strip it to the bone it's a fairly simple story of a happily married man meeting and falling for a femme fatale and coming out of it badly but for God knows what reason we get a totally superfluous journey to Cumberland and the home life of the judge trying the case - the married man is a trial lawyer, the femme fatale the accused - merely to pad things out. Louis Jourdan, the epitome of the charming Frenchman, is reduced to sullen, wooden brooding and ... oh, why go on, suffice it to say steer well clear of this.