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The Paradine Case (1947)

Director(s) Alfred Hitchcock
Producer(s) David O. Selznick (uncredited)
Top Genres Crime, Drama, Film Noir, Mystery, Romance, Thriller/Suspense
Top Topics Courtroom
More Films Directed by Alfred Hitchcock More Films Produced by David O. Selznick More Films from 1947 More Films from the 1940s Top Classic Movies of the 1940s Top Courtroom Films

The Paradine Case Overview:

The Paradine Case (1947) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by David O. Selznick.

SYNOPSIS

This is the last of the films Hitchcock directed under producer Selznick, who co-wrote the script. A happily married English barrister (Peck) falls in love with a beautiful client (Valli) accused of murdering her husband. Peck learns of Valli's affair with her stableman (Jourdan) and calls him to the stand. The result is a stunning reversal and death. In pure Selznick style, nearly a third of the film's budget went to re-creating the original courtroom on the set. Valli and Jourdan's American film debuts.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1947 --- Ceremony Number 20 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActressEthel BarrymoreNominated
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The Paradine Case BlogHub Articles:

Noir I Don’t Care For: The Paradine Case (1947)

By shadowsandsatin on Jul 4, 2021 From Shadows and Satin

As I’ve mentioned a time or two in previous posts, I am a member of a classic movie meetup group that continued to flourish throughout the pandemic; each week, we’re assigned an old movie that’s available on YouTube, and then we gather via Zoom to discuss it. Moderated by Steven Reginald o... Read full article

Gregory Peck tops the cast in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Paradine Case”

By Stephen Reginald on Jun 23, 2021 From Classic Movie Man

Gregory Peck tops the cast in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Paradine Case” The Paradine Case (1947) is an American courtroom drama directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Charles Laughton, Charles Coburn, and Ethel Barrymore. The film introduced Alida Valli... Read full article

Blu-ray Review: The Paradine Case

By Devon Powell on Jun 1, 2017 From Hitchcock Master

Distributor: Kino Lorber Release Date: May 30, 2017 Region: Region Free Length: 01:54:16 Video: 1080P (MPEG-4, AVC) Main Audio: 2.0 English DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz, 1556 kbps, 16-bit) Subtitles: English SDH Ratio: 1.37:1 Bitrate: 23.92 Mbps Notes: This is the film’s North American Blu-ray debu... Read full article

THE PARADINE CASE ( 1947 )

By Theresa Brown on Jun 14, 2016 From CineMaven's Essays from the Couch

Hitchcock introduces us to Mrs. Paradine. His camera slowly revolves around her. He gives her a breathtaking close-up which brings us closer to her than personal decorum or propriety would allow. Alida Valli plays Mrs. Paradine, this cool, beautifully austere, unapproachable looking woman. And she ... Read full article

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The Paradine Case Quotes:

Sir Simon Flaquer: [about Mrs. Paradine] I've been of the opinion that she was a woman of very low estate and very easy virtue.
Judy Flaquer: [about Mrs. Paradine] What's she really like?
Sir Simon Flaquer: Fascinating, fascinating. I'm an old ruin, but she certainly brings my pulse up a beat or two.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: I know why you wanted to see me - *she* sent you.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: She? Mrs. Paradine doesn't even know that I'm here. She had nothing to do with it.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: It seems I'm wrong then.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: Why would she send me?
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: She might have her reasons.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: I don't know what they might be.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: But perhaps you don't know her as I do.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: Mrs. Paradine is my client. I know her as her lawyer, that's sufficient for me.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: You may not think it, but you're on the wrong side, sir, and I tell you so.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: What so you mean exactly by that? You'd better make yourself clear.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: Excuse me, sir. You have only known Mrs. Paradine since she is in prison. Is it not so?
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: Yes.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: Then how can you know her? If you did, I should not need to tell you that only Almighty God or the black Devil himself knows what's going on in that head of hers.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: I won't hear anything more against her.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: I know what I'm talking about; what I say is true. I know her. And I will tell you one thing more, I will tell you about Mrs. Paradine - she's bad, bad to the bone! If ever there was an evil woman, she is one.
Anthony Keane, Counsel for the Defense: Would you mind getting out of here? I don't want any dirty, lying sneaks in my room. Get out!
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: Very good, sir, as you wish.
Andre Latour, Paradine's Valet: [leaving] If you would allow me, sir, I'm very sorry for you - and God help you.
Gay Keane: Well, nice people don't go murdering other nice people.
Lady Sophie Horfield: [Rhetorically] Who needs pity more than a woman who's sinned?
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The Paradine Case Facts
David O. Selznick cut several scenes from this film. Some of these cut scenes survived and they are available at George Eastman House in New York.
One of several Selznick pictures sold to ABC Television as a film "package".
Ben Hecht and James Bridie wrote the original screenplay, based on the adaptation by Alma Reville. But David O. Selznick wasn't pleased. So David O. Selznick rewrote the script.
It was Alfred Hitchcock who selected Ann Todd for the role Gay Keane.
A memorable image in The Paradine Case occurs when Mrs. Paradine is taken from her life of luxury and confined to a bare jail cell. The slamming of the iron door behind her as she enters the cell recalls one of Hitchcock's own memories, that of six-year old Alfred being locked up in the Leytonstone jail.
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