The Paradine Case

Starring:Patrick Aherne, Ethel Barrymore, Leo G. Carroll, Charles Coburn, Elspeth Dudgeon, Isobel Elsom, John Goldsworthy, Colin Hunter, Louis Jourdan, Colin Keith-Johnston, Charles Laughton, Lester Matthews, Edgar Norton, Gregory Peck, Joan Tetzel, Ann Todd, Alida Valli, John Williams (II)
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
This minor 1948 film by Alfred Hitchcock beats a familiar Hitchcockian drum: an attorney (Gregory Peck), in love with the client (Alida Valli) he is defending on a murder charge, implicates himself in her guilt by trying to put the blame on another man. The no-one-is-innocent theme may be consistent with Hitchcock's best films and worldview, but this is one of the movies that got away from his crucial passion for the plastic side of creative directing. Stuck in a courtroom for much of the story, the film is fit to burst with possibility but is pinned down like a freshly caught butterfly in someone's airless collection. --Tom Keogh

Alfred Hitchcock - The Paradine Case
Average customer rating:

"You always forget that punishment is part of the scheme."

Hitchcock's Paradine Case

Obession On Trial

In and outs!

Misinterpreted and Forgotten

Alfred Hitchcock - The Paradine Case
Starring: Ann Todd
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Description

The beautiful Mrs. Paradine is accused of poisoning her old, rich and blind husband. She hires Anthony Keane as her lawyer and the trial starts. The lawyer falls in love with the lady while Judge Hornfield tries to seduce Keane's wife. ++++ This officially licensed release from China, on BoYing, provides some information printed in Chinese on the case. The film is in ENGLISH with optional English or Chinese subtitles. NTSC All Region, original black & white, full screen display with Dolby Digital Sound.

Customer Reviews:

"You always forget that punishment is part of the scheme.".......2007-02-23

Alfred Hitchcock's film "The Paradine Case" begins with a beautiful woman, Maddalena Paradine (Alida Valli) calmly playing the piano right before she is arrested for the murder of her husband. At one point, she pauses and looks up at the portrait of her husband hanging on the wall next to the piano, and a shadow of a different emotion passes across her face. Is it sadness? Grief? It's impossible to tell. That single shot of Valli's perfectly sculptured face registers something...but what? And that scene is just one example of this perfectly constructed Hitchcock film.

"The Paradine Case" revolves around the question of whether or not Mrs. Paradine murdered her elderly, blind wealthy husband. Highly skilled barrister Edward Keane (Gregory Peck) is employed to defend her, and in spite of the fact he's happily married to Gay (Ann Todd), in the course of the pre-trial consultations, Keane falls under the spell of Mrs. Paradine--the fascinating, enigmatic, elusive dark beauty. She frankly admits that she had a shady past, and makes no apologies for it. She also admits that her life improved immeasurably when she married the elderly and extremely wealthy Colonel Paradine. There is no real sense of what sort of person the Colonel was, or what their marriage was like, but Keane immediately begins building a case that Mrs. Paradine was the devoted, lovely wife who sacrificed herself to her husband's many needs.

The film's pre-trial build-up is perfect. Two separate domestic scenes illustrate the decline of Keane's marriage as his fascination with Mrs. Paradine deepens. In the first domestic scene, Keane comes home late at night, and he's met by his lovely devoted wife who fusses him into bed with wifely attentions. But their relationship deteriorates rapidly once he takes the case, and the next domestic scene between the Keanes is evidence of the toll the case has taken on their marriage. The film touches on the idea of class. Keane moves in affluent society, but there are hints that his life has not always been like this. Mrs. Paradine is a newcomer to the upper classes, and this fact rears its head at several points during the film--especially when she's questioned regarding her husband's loyal valet Andre (Louis Jourdan).

One of Keane's greatest flaws, apparently, is to get too emotional during a trial. This is his Achilles' Heel, and perhaps the explanation for this can be found in the fact that Keane is essentially an idealist. The sagacious Paradine family solicitor Simon Flaquer (Charles Coburn) hopes that Keane won't have to argue his case in front of the cantankerous but formidable Judge Horfield (Charles Laughton)--a man who dominates his timid wife (Ethel Barrymore) with nasty comments about the female sex and who casts his lascivious eyes on Keane's sadly neglected and under appreciated wife. The drama between these strong characters--Mrs. Paradine, Edward and Gay Keane, Judge Horfield, and Simon Flaquer (splendid performances by all) plays out against the question of Mrs. Paradine's guilt. If she did indeed murder her elderly frail husband, then she is capable of a monstrous act, and as Keane becomes increasingly involved in the case, he leaves his good sense and judgment behind while struggling in the vortex of his passion--displacedhuman

Hitchcock's Paradine Case.......2007-01-12

The slick touch of Hitchcock is obvios throughout this film. Not as well known as many of his, this movie is more subtle than "The Birds" or "Witness for the Prosecution", but all the more wonderful for that. A study in personality and relationships rather than blood, gore and destruction make it more satisfying (in my opinion). Gregory Peck at his best with a good supporting cast and the matchless Hitchcock camera angles. I think one of his best.

Obession On Trial.......2006-07-12

Like the other reviewers here, I agree that this truly adult and enigmatic Hitchcock film has never gotten the attention it deserves. Tony Keane's fixation with the accused murderer Mrs. Paradine looks ahead to Scottie Fergusson's equally obsessed one with Madeleine in Vertigo. In a way, marriage and femininity are also on trial in this film. Mrs. Paradine marries a man she doesn't love for his money and ends going on trial for murder. Keane's wife Gay is loving, but she's also an enabler, endlessly making excuses for Tony's poor behavior as a husband (and lack of professionalism as a barrister). She stands by her man . . . but why? Gay's friend Judy is an unmarried woman who, denied a chance to be a lawyer because of her gender, provides Gay (and us) with her shrewd commentary on Tony's courtroom behavior. But will any man ever want to marry such an outspoken young woman? Maybe the most pathetic female character is the judge's wife, who passively puts up with his crude misogyny. Only when Mrs. Paradine is threatened with the gallows does she begin to confront the emotional deadness of her own marriage. None of the women (not to mention all the dour female courtroom attendants that Hitchcock's camera lingers over) are at real peace with themselves.

The two main male characters, (Tony and Andre) are, in a sense, contaminated by the women's malaise. Tony is accused by the judge of creating an "overly emotional" atmosphere in the courtroom. And the sexually ambiguous André's acts are driven solely by love. In the end, Keane's drained and vulnerable character foreshadows the equally drained Fergusson we see at the end of Vertigo. Neither man knows what hit them. But have they learned anything from their experience? And will they ever have the capacity to relate to women who haven't been through what Judy astutely calls "the mud"? The verdict's still out.

In and outs! .......2006-07-12

A beautiful woman is accused of murdering her husband; and a young criminal lawyer will try by all his means, to demonstrate her innocence, although on the road he will fall in love with her.

An uneven film considering the stature of his director.

Misinterpreted and Forgotten.......2005-10-26

Misinterpreted and forgotten, THE PARADINE CASE is an opulent production concerning the elegant and strikingly sculptured and inscrutable Mrs. Paradine placed on trial for the murder of her husband. Mrs. Paradine is played with delicate radiance by Alida Valli who embodies the alluring vision of pulchritude that barrister Gregory Peck has created and fallen under the spell of. Gregory Peck's obsessive character is a forerunner to James Stewart's role in Hitchcock's VERTIGO. Obsessive behavior can be destructive as is seen in the relationship that Peck has with his loyal wife portrayed by Ann Todd. However, the greatest role and performance in this film is in the form of Louis Jourdan. Jourdan is an unwavering curiosity in his quixotic role as Mr. Paradine's manservant. His relationship with Mrs. Paradine and her late husband remains a conundrum. Jourdan's performance as a man of steadfast loyalty to both duty and passion is one of brilliance. Alfred Hitchcock's THE PARADINE CASE is a film that is by some means misinterpreted and thus forgotten.

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Alfred Hitchcock - Paradine Case

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Product Description

The beautiful Mrs. Paradine is accused of poisoning her old, rich and blind husband. She hires Anthony Keane as her lawyer and the trial starts. The lawyer falls in love with the lady while Judge Hornfield tries to seduce Keane's wife. ++++ This officially licensed release from South Korea is All-Region NTSC Code 0 (playable world-wide). The film is in the ORIGINAL Black & White with full screen display and Dolby Digital Sound in ENGLISH with optional (removeable) English or Korean subtitles. Includes Scene Selection; some information on the case is in Korean.

Average customer rating:

Alida Valli & Gregory Peck, beauty, brilliant talent in a perfect showcase.
Overdue Recognition
UNDERATED HITCHCOCK CLASSIC
Valli Victorious
delusive obsession

The Paradine Case
Starring: Patrick Aherne , Ethel Barrymore , Leo G. Carroll , Charles Coburn , and Elspeth Dudgeon
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
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Release Date: 1999-09-07

Amazon.com

This minor 1948 film by Alfred Hitchcock beats a familiar Hitchcockian drum: an attorney (Gregory Peck), in love with the client (Alida Valli) he is defending on a murder charge, implicates himself in her guilt by trying to put the blame on another man. The no-one-is-innocent theme may be consistent with Hitchcock's best films and worldview, but this is one of the movies that got away from his crucial passion for the plastic side of creative directing. Stuck in a courtroom for much of the story, the film is fit to burst with possibility but is pinned down like a freshly caught butterfly in someone's airless collection. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Alida Valli & Gregory Peck, beauty, brilliant talent in a perfect showcase........2006-01-20

Alida Valli made very few American films, and it is a loss to our history. This star known best for her work in "Miracle of the Bells" (the story of a brilliant actress who plays Joan of Arc, and then dies with that being her only film), is not just a striking beauty. Unlike many of the glamourous, beautiful stars of the 40s, she shares with us a complex and intelligent internal life. We know that we will only know 10% of what is going on in her head, but we see the wheels turning through her eyes. It is this quality which makes this film come alive, and it is a perfect vehicle for her.
Gregory Peck (although slightly miscast - not old enough yet to be a middle aged lawyer in mid-life crisis) with his open accessibility to the audience, and his emotional availability is the perfect foil for Valli. This is perhaps one of his most complex roles, and possibly his sexiest.
I disagree with the amazon editorial review that this film is bound by it's setting. Hitchcock enjoied the challenge of making films in small, confined sets. The direction here makes the most of Valli's talents, and there are many incredible shots. The entrance of young Louis Jordan into the courtroom behind Valli is an incredible, captivating 300 degree follow shot. This shot physicallizes the chemistry between them without them ever looking at each other. It is worth mentioning here that this film also introduced Louis Jordan. In a rare performance using an American accent, he is raw and brooding and beautiful. He does not have the mannerisms that lessened his later performances, he was not yet a star.
It is interesting that in this film, Hitchcock has his usual blonde beauty (Ann Todd) protrayed as conventional and staid. We understand why Gregory Peck would both love her and be bored by her once he meets Valli. He heightens this by contrasting their acting styles as well. Todd's acting style, especially her diction, is old school, while Valli is something new entirely. As a Hitchcock fan, I feel this is one of his best films, ranking with VERTIGO, NOTORIOUS, SUSPICION and I CONFESS as one of my favorites. (It is worth mentioning for the Hitchcock fan, that this film uses many of the same music cues that were used in NOTORIOUS.)
I hope the DVD companies will produce a good version of this with commentary. Meanwhile, this VHS - the restored version - is crystal clear, and velvety.

Overdue Recognition.......2005-10-21

Alfred Hitchcock's THE PARADINE CASE is an interesting film from this director. On the surface it appears to be about a courtroom murder case where the accused Misses Paradine (Alida Valli) is defended by barrister (Gregory Peck) who becomes infatuated by here statuesque beauty and in doing so undermines his marriage to Ann Todd. Valli is accused of murdering her husband who we never see in person but only in a portrait. We never actually see the murder on screen. We must rely on the testimony of the witnesses to come to some conclusion about Mister Paradine's demise. Louis Jourdan is the late Mister Paradine's manservant. His relationship to both Mister and Misses Paradine leaves many questions for the viewer. Jourdan who delivers one of his best performances expertly plays this pivotal character. The film is really about relationships ending and evolving and to a degree about relationships that are imagined. Relationships end or are put on hold. Relationships reveal sharp realities for the central characters and they must come to terms with their own conduct. Other relationships such as Charels Laughton and his wife Ethel Barrymore have remained static and listless. They each fulfill what is left of a relationship that should never have been. The submissive Barrymore dutifully endures the bullying nature of Laughton, the presiding judge. Being a David O. Selznick's picture the production is lavish yet somehow it is overshadowed by the bleak nature of the screenplay. The production values are almost a counterpoint to the story and to actress Valli's rather sullen performance, which remains a bit of an enigma. Gregory Peck's performance is very good. Because of his basic good nature the viewer feels for his flawed character and his realization of this that will no doubt come by the end of the film. Louis Jourdan flat out gives a memorable and impressive performance showing off his mastery of histrionics. This film deserves long overdue attention.

UNDERATED HITCHCOCK CLASSIC.......2004-12-16

THE PARADINE CASE is an opulent production concerning the elegantly statuesque and enigmatic Mrs. Paradine placed on trial for the murder of her husband. Mrs. Paradine is played with subtle radiance by Alida Valli who embodies the alluring vision of pulchritude that barrister Gregory Peck has created and fallen under the spell of. Gregory Peck's obsessive character is a forerunner to James Stewart's role in Hitchcock's VERTIGO. Obsessive behavior can be destructive as is seen in the relationship that Peck has with his loyal wife portrayed by Ann Todd. However, the greatest role and performance in this film is in the form of Louis Jourdan. Jourdan is an unwavering curiosity in his quixotic role as Mr. Paradine's manservant. His relationship with Mrs. Paradine and her late husband remains a conundrum. Jourdan's performance as a man of steadfast loyalty to both duty and passion is one of brilliance. If there is one Alfred Hitchcock film that is truly misunderstood and underrated it is THE PARADINE CASE.

Valli Victorious.......2004-08-24

Alida Valli didn't make very many pictures in the USA, but the ones she did are without exception worth seeing.

In Italy, of course, she is as important to the indigenous cinema as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida put together. But here is the USA, she starred in a mere handful of pictures, and we remember her mainly via her connection to David Selznick, for whom she made THE THIRD MAN and THE PARADINE CASE. THE MIRACLE OF THE BELLS and WALK SOFTLY, STRANGER are also worth seeing. In THE PARADINE CASE, she is on trial for murdering her husband in a stuffy British courtroom, to which her sultry and exotic beauty is continually being counterpointed. She is a bird in a gilded cage all right, literally and figuratively. Gregory Peck falls hard for her, and it's watching how low he goes that makes this film one of Hitchcock's best. He even quarrels with his wife, the cold, perfect Ann Todd, and makes it plain to her and to everyone in their bourgeois social circle that he has fallen in love with his client, thus breaking all the rules in one fell swoop.

He begins to suspect that Valli has been framed, and he begins to suspect Louis Jourdan, Paradine's handsome manservant, of an illicit interest in his master's wife. The scenes between Peck and Jourdan are fiery and full of passion. Each of them is fighting for his life and honor. There is as well an erotic charge between the two of them. In a sense Peck is representing the colonialist who seeks authenticity by embroiling himself in the lives and bodies of a darker and more obviously sexed people, whether they be Italian or French. He gets slapped down for his efforts.

Even if you've seen THE PARADINE CASE fifty times, there's always something fresh to watch, whether it's Charles Coburn acting especially kinky, or Ann Todd from THE SEVENTH VEIL acting masochistic one more time. But most of all the movie is trying to make us see Valli as a new Garbo, who had retired from the screen and whom Selznick believed we would swallow Valli as a successor to. In my opinion, she's greater than Garbo by a country mile.

delusive obsession.......2004-01-28

This marvelous, lesser-known Alfred Hitchcock work deserves wider recognition. Gregory Peck stars as an attorney defending a beautiful woman (Ann Todd) who is accused of poisoning her older, blind husband. Although Mrs. Paradine seems cooly unapproachable, he is increasingly drawn to her, magnetically attracted. He soon begins to believe that anyone as lovely as she must also possess a spotless soul, and in no way could have committed this crime.

Alida Valli plays his devoted, intuitive wife who early on senses his obsession with Mrs. Paradine. She lays it on the table---she knows he is strongly attracted to the mysterious woman, but she leaves it up to him to decide what he will do.

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