The Paradine Case (1947)
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- Approved
- 2h 5min
- Crime, Drama
- 13 Jul 1948 (USA)
- Movie
A happily married London barrister falls in love with the accused poisoner he is defending.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Award:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Gregory Peck | ... |
Anthony Keane
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| Ann Todd | ... |
Gay Keane
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| Charles Laughton | ... |
Judge Lord Thomas Horfield
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| Charles Coburn | ... |
Sir Simon Flaquer
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| Ethel Barrymore | ... |
Lady Sophie Horfield
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| Louis Jourdan | ... |
Andre Latour
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| Alida Valli | ... |
Maddalena Anna Paradine
(as Valli)
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| Leo G. Carroll | ... |
Sir Joseph
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| Joan Tetzel | ... |
Judy Flaquer
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| Isobel Elsom | ... |
Innkeeper
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Patrick Aherne | ... |
Police Sgt. Leggett (uncredited)
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Gilbert Allen | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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John Barton | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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| Leonard Carey | ... |
Courtroom Stenographer (uncredited)
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| Steve Carruthers | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Constance Cavendish | ... |
Minor Role (uncredited)
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Russell Custer | ... |
Barrister in Courtroom (uncredited)
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Jack Deery | ... |
Juror (uncredited)
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| Elspeth Dudgeon | ... |
Second Matron (uncredited)
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| James Fairfax | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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Rudy Germane | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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John Goldsworthy | ... |
Lakin (uncredited)
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| Lumsden Hare | ... |
Courtroom Attendant (uncredited)
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Alec Harford | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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| Sam Harris | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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| Alfred Hitchcock | ... |
Man Carrying Cello Case (uncredited)
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Colin Hunter | ... |
Baker (uncredited)
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Boyd Irwin | ... |
Courtroom Observer (uncredited)
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| Dick Johnstone | ... |
Juror (uncredited)
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| Colin Keith-Johnston | ... |
Clerk of the Court (uncredited)
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| Kenner G. Kemp | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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| Colin Kenny | ... |
Juror (uncredited)
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Thomas Martin | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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| Lester Matthews | ... |
Police Inspector Ambrose (uncredited)
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Phyllis Morris | ... |
Mrs. Carr (uncredited)
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| Edgar Norton | ... |
Courtroom Attendant (uncredited)
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| 'Snub' Pollard | ... |
Cabby (uncredited)
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John Rice | ... |
Bailiff (uncredited)
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| Scott Seaton | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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| Bert Stevens | ... |
Barrister in Courtroom (uncredited)
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Arthur Tovey | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Chalky Williams | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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| John Williams | ... |
Barrister Collins (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Alfred Hitchcock | ||
Written by
| Robert Hichens | ... | (from the novel by) |
| Alma Reville | ... | (adaptation) |
| David O. Selznick | ... | (screen play) |
| James Bridie | ... | (treatment in consultation with) (uncredited) |
| Ben Hecht | ... | (additional dialogue) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| David O. Selznick | ... | producer |
Music by
| Franz Waxman | ||
Cinematography by
| Lee Garmes | ... | (photographed by) |
Editorial Department
| John Faure | ... | associate supervising film editor |
| Hal C. Kern | ... | supervising film editor |
Production Design by
| J. McMillan Johnson | ... | (production designed by) |
Art Direction by
| Thomas N. Morahan | ... | (as Thomas Morahan) |
Set Decoration by
| Emile Kuri | ||
| Joseph B. Platt | ... | (interiors) |
| Robert Priestley | ... | (uncredited) |
Costume Design by
| Travis Banton | ... | (gowns) |
| Charles Arrico | ... | (uncredited) |
Makeup Department
| Larry Germain | ... | hair stylist |
| Max Asher | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Mel Berns | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Layne Britton | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Fred Ahern | ... | unit manager |
| W. Argyle Nelson | ... | production manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Lowell J. Farrell | ... | assistant director |
| Joel Freeman | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Stanislaw Szukalski | ... | painter: Valli's portrait (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| James G. Stewart | ... | sound director |
| Richard Van Hessen | ... | recordist |
| Edward Ullman | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Clarence Slifer | ... | special effects |
Visual Effects by
| Spencer Bagdatopolis | ... | Matte painter |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Charles P. Boyle | ... | fill-in photographer (uncredited) |
| Eddie Fitzgerald | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| John Miehle | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Frank Beetson Jr. | ... | wardrobe director (uncredited) |
| Eugene Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Harold Byrns | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Paul Dessau | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) |
| Leonid Raab | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Edward Rebner | ... | supervisor: piano sequences (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Donna M. Norridge | ... | script supervisor (uncredited) |
| Helene Weigel | ... | continuity (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Lydia Schiller | ... | scenario assistant |
| David O. Selznick | ... | presenter |
| Alfred W. Burt | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
| Elsie Foulstone | ... | dialogue and voice coach: Valli and Jourdan (uncredited) |
| Paul MacNamara | ... | director of publicity (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Selznick International Pictures (for)
- Vanguard Films (copyright holder)
- Polyphony Digital (presents)
Distributors
- AB Svensk Filmindustri (1949) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Athos Films (1967) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Athos Films (France) (theatrical)
- British Lion Film Corporation (1948) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Films Galatée (1949) (France) (theatrical)
- Greg Lynch Film Distributors (1982) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1950) (Norway) (theatrical)
- S.R.O. (1948) (France) (theatrical)
- Schorcht Filmverleih Gmbh (1952) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Selznick Releasing Organization (1947) (United States) (theatrical)
- Selznick Releasing Organization (1956) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Wivefilm (1959) (Sweden) (theatrical) (re-release)
- American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1973) (United States) (tv)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (United States) (DVD)
- CBS/Fox (1988) (United States) (VHS)
- El 9 Besepi S.L. (2021) (Spain)
- Emerald (2013) (Argentina) (DVD) (Edición Especial de Colección Alfred Hitchcock) (Double feature with "Psycho" [1960])
- EuroVideo (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
- Fox Video (video)
- Key Video (1988) (United States) (VHS)
- Kino Lorber (2017) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2009) (Canada) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2009) (United States) (DVD)
- MRA Entertainment Group (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
- NHK-BS2 (1995) (Japan) (tv)
- Nord Video (1981) (Norway) (VHS) (Beta) (Video 2000)
- Prism Leisure Corporation (2000) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Rai Movie (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- Research Entertainment (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
- Sinister Film (2023) (Italy)
- Star Video (1983) (Australia) (video)
- Thorn-Emi Video (West Germany) (VHS)
- Topanga Canyon Films (2018) (Spain)
- Viacom International (1977) (United States) (tv)
- atlas Film (1991) (Germany) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- J. Arthur Rank Organisation (appearance by arrangement with: Miss Todd)
- Polyphony Digital (archive) (English)
- Western Electric (sound system)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Following a short investigation, the London Police charge Maddalena Paradine with the poisoning murder of her older, blind husband, retired Colonel Richard Paradine, who was dependent on her and others to manage in his life due to his physical disability. She is up front about being a woman with a past, she only becoming wealthy and thus glamorous because of the marriage. Her personal solicitor Sir Simon Flaquer refers the case to his colleague Tony Keane. In spending time with Mrs. Paradise in prison, Tony is immediately attracted to her, that attraction which morphs into obsession. As such, Tony does whatever he can to clear her of the charges, either in mounting a defense of suicide, assisted or not, or that someone else killed him, the most likely candidate being the Colonel's trusted valet, Andre Latour, with who Tony initially believes Mrs. Paradise was having an affair. In the process, Tony may be blinded to the evidence as it presents itself. Who can see what is going on is Tony's wife Gay Keane, who not only believes their marriage has been a perfect one up to this point, but that he truly does believe his obsession with Mrs. Paradine being love, which Gay herself does not believe it to be. Gay can only stand by and hope for a specific verdict in the case so that Tony can return to her wholeheartedly without the specter of Mrs. Paradine hanging over their marriage. Written by Huggo |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | $4,258,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | When Sir Alfred Hitchcock delivered the completed movie to the studio, after a Hitchcock record of ninety-two days of filming, it ran almost three hours. This rough cut was initially trimmed to two hours and twelve minutes, which was the version screened for the Academy of Arts & Sciences. In this version, Ethel Barrymore can be seen as the half-crazed wife of Lord Horfield, which explains the Oscar nomination for her performance (there was apparently a brilliant museum scene where Lady Horfield requests Anthony Keane to save Mrs. Paradine, and another scene where Lady Horfield tries to hide her coughing from her husband). Producer David O. Selznick subsequently cut the film to two hours and five minutes, and then to its present length of one hour and fifty-four minutes, in which Barrymore's screen time totals about three minutes. In 1980, a flood reputedly destroyed the original, uncut version, making the restoration of the cut scenes unlikely, although it has been reported that some of these cut scenes reside at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. See more » |
| Goofs | When Keane travels to the Paradine country home, his train is seen entering the village from the left, framed by an overhanging tree branch. When Keane departs the village, a train is shown beneath the same branch departing from the right. It's the same shot, flipped for reuse. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Hitchcock, Selznick and the End of Hollywood (1998). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | In opening credits scroll below Ethel Barrymore: "and two new / Selznick Stars / Louis Jourdan / and / Valli". Alida Valli's name is in script form, and Jourdan had been playing leading roles in French films for several years before making "The Paradine Case". See more » |
| Quotes |
Judge Lord Thomas Horfield:
I do not like to be interrupted in the middle of an insult. See more » |