The Paradine Case

Watch: The Paradine Case

Unrated

12/31/19471h 54m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ The dramatic case of a beautiful woman whose trial for murder held the nation spellbound. ~

Overview:

Attorney Anthony Keane agrees to represent Londonite Mrs. Paradine, who has been fingered in her husband's murder. From the start, the married lawyer is drawn to the enigmatic beauty, and he begins to cast about for a way to exonerate his client. Keane puts the Paradine household servant on the stand, suggesting he is the killer. But Keane soon loses his way in the courtroom, and his half-baked plan sets off a stunning chain of events.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$4,258,000.00

Revenue:

$2,100,000.00

Key words:

femme fatale
film noir
lawyer
black and white

Cast

Gregory Peck

~ as ~

Anthony Keane

Ann Todd

~ as ~

Gay Keane

Alida Valli

~ as ~

Mrs. Paradine

Charles Laughton

~ as ~

Judge Lord Thomas Horfield

Charles Coburn

~ as ~

Sir Simon Flaquer

Ethel Barrymore

~ as ~

Lady Sophie Horfield

Louis Jourdan

~ as ~

Andre Latour

Leo G. Carroll

~ as ~

Sir Joseph

Joan Tetzel

~ as ~

Judy Flaquer

Isobel Elsom

~ as ~

Innkeeper

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 2 year(s) ago
6
Gregory Peck is "Keane", a happily married London barrister who is called to defend a woman accused of murdering her wealthy, blind husband. Alida Valli (simply Valli in the titles) is the accused, a glamorous woman who simply reeks of gold-digger right from the start and with Leo G. Carroll leading the prosecution and a wonderfully curmudgeonly Charles Laughton as the High Court judge, you sense the writing is already on the wall for the women. Peck struggles in the role, to be honest, he lacks incisiveness - he is just a bit too "nice". When he discovers that it's possible that she had been having an affair with then old man's valet - a dashing Louis Jourdan - he seems torn between a sense of envy (he is clearly smitten) and a desire to secure a fair hearing and at times that drags this into melodrama territory. The courtroom scenes are all to frequently broken up by domestic issues - even Laughton and put-upon wife Ethel Barrymore as well as Peck with loving, and herself slightly envious, "Gay" (Ann Todd). For me, it is trying to accomplish too many things and ends up not really doing anything spectacular with Richard Hichens far more spicy and potent novel.