JAMAICA INN
US, 1982, 190 minutes, Colour.
Jane Seymour, Patrick Mc Goohan, John Mc Enery, Peter Vaughan.
Directed by Anthony Page.
Jamaica Inn is a lavish and long telemovie remake of Daphne du Maurier's 19th. century pirate thriller. The original film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, his last British film in the '30s - starring Maureen O' Hara and Charles Laughton.
The focus in this version is on the heroine Mary rather than on the magistrate played in the original by Charles Laughton. In fact, the focus on the men concerns the innkeeper Joss (played eccentrically by Patrick Mc Goohan), the villainous vicar (played smoothly and deceptively by John McEnery) and the pleasant hero. Peter Vaughan appears in a supporting role, as the magistrate. The location photography is attractive as well as moody. The smuggling and piracy on the English coast in the 19th. century is suggested with overtones on brutality and the remnants of the Druid religion (eventually directly linked to the villainous vicar who performs a final ritual before his death.
The focus of the film is on Jane Seymour's portrayal of Mary. Jane Seymour began her career in Britain but after her presence in a James Bond film moved to the United States for success in the mini-series East of Eden and in such films as Somewhere in Time. Direction in by Anthony Page (Inadmissible Evidence, The Missiles of October).
1. The impact of this period action melodrama? Entertainment? An atmosphere of horror and terror? The style adapted for the television audience?
2. The popularity of Daphne du Maurier's stories? Victoriana? The bleak counties of coastal England? The colour photography? Music? The three-hour length of the film?
3. The classic status of the novel and Hitchcock's work? The film portrayed as a remake? A star vehicle for Jane Seymour? Closer relationship to the original novel than the earlier film? The TV style: length, beauty? The cast and their acting styles? Comparisons with the original?
4. The atmosphere: the credits, the sailing ships, the lighthouse and the altering of the light, murder of the lighthouse-keeper, the horror of the shipwreck, the townspeople, the attack of the crew and the slaughter? The transition to Mary and her mother, her mother's grief at the deaths? The Cornwall coast and its atmosphere? Way of life? The transfer to Jamaica Inn and its eeriness? The sinister atmosphere? The countryside, the weather, the coast? The background of Stonehenge and the religious overtones? The remnants of Druid paganism? A portrait of a part of England in the 19th. century?
5. The background of pirates and wreckers? Lighthouses, shipwrecks? The callousness of the wreckers? The fierce resistance of crew? The taking of goods and hiding them, the wealth to be had? The atmosphere of warfare with deaths. explosives?
6. The introduction to Mary - in her home, her mother's dreams, the dead father? The father haunting the mother and the family? The ominous shipwreck for Mary and the family? The background of local legends and superstitions? The finding of the dead father on the ship? The funeral dreams? The mother and her grief, madness, death?
7. The effect of the experience on Mary? Travelling to Jamaica Inn? The self-possessed heroine the heroine with pluck, the warnings on the way? The encounter with Jem? Meeting Patience and Joss? Patience and her moodiness - subject to Joss, moments of happiness, her knowing the truth and it haunting her? Joss and his mysterious manner, eccentricity? The moods of the place, the customers, fear, terror, secrets? Mary and her coping? The sergeant with the prisoners? Jem and the escape? Her falling in love? Her wandering the fields, encountering the vicar and his kindly support? Her growing fear and the secrets of the place? The ring and the fainting? overhearing murder plots? Her suspicions? Joss and his obsessive behaviour? Jem taking her to the fair, the humour of selling the pony to its owner? The vicar and his continued presence? The build-up to the new wrecking venture, the horror of the slaughter? Joss ranting - and his ultimate death? The death of Patience? The build-up of fear, hastening to the vicar, the realisation of his villainy? Her wanting to escape? The climax on the cliffs? Her decision to move away from Jamaica Inn?
8. The portrait of Joss: fierce, the story of his past, navigator, his ranting and his drinking, secrets, brutality, lust, treatment of Patience, torment? His secret meetings with the leader of the wreckers? The wreck and his final callous behaviour, his death?
9. Patience and her having to endure the marriage to Joss? The irony of her name? Her love for Mary, trying to help her, her varying moods? The brutality of her death?
10. Jem as hero? The initial encounter, attraction to Mary, suspicions, the selling of the pony? His pursuit of the vicar and the final confrontation? The decision to leave with Mary? His relationship to Joss?
11. The vicar and his austere presence, pasty appearance, the suggestions of his lustful attitude towards Mary? His unctuous manner and talking with her? Caresses, enticing? His continued appearances? Audience suspicion? The paintings and Mary's realisation of the truth? His madness, cruelty? The background of his Druid religion, anti-Christian, his being pursued on the hills? The confrontation on the cliff? His final Druid rituals before his death?
12. The Squire and his manner, audience suspicion of him, the execution of villains, the pursuit of the vicar?
13. The hardness of the life, of the times? The village, the inn and its customers, the markets. the class distinctions, the wealth distinctions? The scenes with the Squire's wife and the buying of the pony?
14. A picture of old England: Cornwall and the influence of the past, Stonehenge and the Druids. superstitions and legends?
15. A portrait of a region, of a period, of violence, malevolence, heroes and heroines?
