THE PARADINE CASE (1948) B/W 131m dir: Alfred Hitchcock

w/Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Charles Laughton, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Coburn, Louis Jourdan, Alida Valli, Leo G. Carroll, John Goldsworthy, Isobel Elsom, Lester Matthews, Pat Aherne, Colin Hunter, John Williams

From Variety's contemporary review of the film: "The Paradine Case offers two hours and 11 minutes of high dramatics. Plot concerns murder of a blind man by his wife so she can marry her lover. Her attorney, believing in her not guilty plea, fights for her life. Himself infatuated with his client, the barrister plots and schemes to defeat justice but as dramatic events are brought out, the truth is revealed. There are no flashback devices to clutter the trial and the audience gradually is let in on the facts, as is the court, as the hearing proceeds and emotions take hold. Charles Laughton gives a revealing portrait of a a gross, lustful nobleman who presides at the trial.

"Alfred Hitchcock's penchant for suspense, unusual atmosphere and development gets full play. There is a deliberateness of pace, artful pauses and other carefully calculated melodramatic hinges upon which he swings the story and players. [Producer David O.] Selznick wrote the screenplay, adapted from the Robert Hitchens novel by Alma Reville [Hitchcock's wife and collaborator on all his films] and James Bridie. It is a job that puts much emphasis on dialog and it's talk that punches. A very mobile camera helps give a feeling of movement to majority of scenes confined to the British courtroom as Hitchcock goes into the unfoldment of the highly dramatic murder trial.

"Gregory Peck's stature as a performer of ability stands him in good stead among the extremely tough competition. As the barrister who defends Alida Valli, charged with the murder of her husband, he answers every demand of a demanding role. Ann Todd delights as his wife, giving the assignment a grace and understanding that tug at the emotions."

THE PARADINE CASE was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (Barrymore).