Jamaica Inn (1939)

This Alfred Hitchcock directed low sea smuggler film was released in 1939.  It was based on a novel by British author Daphne du Maurier published only 3 years before the release of this film, which in turn is based on stories told to her at the real Jamaica Inn in Cornwall, where she was lost in a moorish fog and was lucky to find shelter in the only public house (Pub for short) on the moor! du Maurier was not given a writing credit for the film.  [du Maurier, incidentally also penned Rebecca which Hitchcock went on to als direct, more importantly for Hitchcock a little short story entitled "The Birds."]

This film has so much in common with Night Creatures that it's easy to see how the Hammer production felt that mining this later Hitchcock directed British pirate/smuggler yarn would make for good plot snitching (not that I'm accusing them of doing anything wrong).  There are night coachs (horse and buggy) without aid of light, ships bringing in contraband from all over northern Europe and even a plot that includes esteemed and well monied locals.  All of this coalesces at the Jamaica Inn, that receives the smuggled goods.  In Night Creatures there is also a Pub that has way too much wine to serve, that locals claim to the British Navy, that they store their private collection there.  This film does not, alas, have phantoms--real or imaginary.  

As mentioned above, Jamaica Inn is a real place and still exists today.  Modern photographs look a great deal like the illustration on the novel and even the inn seen in the movie.

Novel Cover

Modern Jamaica Inn

Their sign.  Obviously they are proud of their pirates!

The film stars Yorkshire actor Charles Laughton, who shared a production credit on the film.  He apparently interfered a great deal with Hitchcock's directing, which, reportedly, annoyed Hitchcock to such a degree that it hastened his departure from Britain to Hollywood, only to have a run in with David O. Selznick, for whom he went work, who interfered even more with Hitchcock's direction of the 1940 released Rebecca.  By today's standards, this is considered a minor Hitchcock film, but it actually earned around 3.7 million at the box office.  In 1939 standards, that a huge success.

The film also features an appearance from a young aspiring actress, Maureen O'Hara, then just 19 years old.  This is her big screen debut and she was brought to Hitchcock, unbeknown to him, big actor/producer Charles Laughton. That's right, he cast her (and changed her name from FitzSimons) without ever telling the director; fortunately, she had loads of natural acting talent.

Hitchcock in a promotional photograph for the film.

HERE ARE THE OPENING CREDITS: