JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK
UK, 1930, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Sara Allgood, Edward Chapman, Maire O' Neill, Sidney Morgan, John Laurie.
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Juno and the Paycock is one of Alfred Hitchcock's earliest sound films. Having established himself in the '20s, even directing a number of thrillers, he was to move into the sound era to specialise in mysteries and suspense, with a touch of romantic comedy. Juno and the Paycock is not exactly in the mainstream of Hitchcock's interests, although it does focus on a war situation and betrayal. Sean O' Casey's play aggravated and antagonised the Irish when first presented - even in this version it is easy to see why. Its implicit criticism of Irish men as mouthing all kinds of patriotism but being cowardly and lazy, is a fairly forceful attack.
This is a very wordy film, the settings are generally confined to single rooms and the acting has the exaggerations of stage performance as well as the gesticulations of the silent film. At times this gives a more ludicrous impression than was the case on its first release. Comparisons could be made with John Ford's Irish films: his version of O' Casey's The Plough and the Stars and his Oscar-winning The Informer.
1. The film as an example of Hitchcock's early sound work? English film-making traditions, cinematic techniques, the primitive use of sound? The adaptation of O' Casey's play to the screen? The Irish themes, Catholic themes, the I.R.A., loyalty, betrayal? Irish family life, love and harshness? The tragic elements implicit in the Irish character?
2. O' Casey and his reputation as a dramatist, his dramatising the troubles? The pros and cons of the Irish situation, the sacrifices of the people of Ireland, the empty boasting of the Irish men? Brutality, violence?
3. The adaptation of the play to the screen? The limited sets? Most of the action happening off screen? The slight opening out for street scenes? Its wordiness? The over-acting? The use of silent film techniques? Rhetoric instead of drama?
4. The setting of the Irish troubles - the opening speeches and the shooting, Johnny and his being called to meetings, the execution squads? The basic issues of the Irish troubles and the effect on ordinary people?
5. The Dublin setting - poverty and squalor, work and unemployment, drinking and alcohol, clothes, the tenements, the local bar? How well did the film establish the environment for the Boyle family?
6. Boyle and his strutting as the paycock? His manner of speaking, choice of words, voice? The appropriateness of the nickname? His self-inflation? Friendship with Jogster Daley? With Mrs. Madigan at the bar - and her later visits to the home? His capacity for arguing? His relationship to Juno, attitude towards his children? The tantrums about eating breakfast? The emotional Irish with their rhetoric? The hullaballoo about hiding the breakfast from Juno? The offer of jobs and his pretending that his legs were sore? His response to the will, the buying of all the goods? The happy tone with the singing of songs round the table? His relationship to Mary and then his spurning her because of her pregnancy? His fickle attitudes towards Jogster? His. lack of expression of feeling for his wife? How well did he symbolise Ireland - all talk and pride?
7. The contrast with Juno - the strong earth-mother type? The running of the house, the strength in comparison to the paycock, her laying down the law, her busy attitudes, her response to the will? Love for Johnny and Mary? Bentham and the will and her going buying? Mary and the doctor? Her compassion for Mary? Concern for Johnny? Her grief when Johnny was taken? Her speech about God's will? Asking the Sacred Heart to bless Ireland? Her response to Mary on God's incapacity to act against the stupidity of man? Her representing the hopes of Ireland?
8. Johnny and his injury, the talk about betrayal, his tension, his male Irish pride, his fears, his reaction towards Mary and her pregnancy, Bentham and the will? his execution?
9. Jogster the conman, his brogue and the use of the word "darlin"' etc.? Daisy Madigan and her friendship and support? Typifying the Boyles' neighbours and friends?
10. The opening up of the play for the buying sequences, Kelly and his coming back to take the goods?
11. A drama of the early 20th. century? Ireland and its troubles? The effect on people? The religious Irish background? Insight into the troubles of Ireland?
