by now i figured i 'd seen every alfred hitchcock film at least a half - dozen times -- not that i 'm complaining .
to call him the " master of suspense " is an understatement .
the paradine case ( 1947 ) , admittedly one of hitchcock 's lesser movies , turned out to be one i 'd missed .
this one , like all hitchcock films , is well worth savoring .
the story opens with the rich mrs .
maddalena anna paradine being arrested in her home for poisoning her blind husband .
as mrs .
paradine , alida valli plays an aloof but alluring woman of the world .
to franz waxman 's stark and moody music , we see the prison guards divesting her of her luxurious garments and jewels .
stripped of her fine raiment , she becomes a commoner again , which , as it turns out , was what she was before she met her husband .
"
a brief skirmish , and you 'll be lunching at the savoy again , " anthony keane , her ultraconfident attorney tells her in their first meeting , predicting a fast and easy trial .
gregory peck plays the successful and debonair barrister .
"
she 's no murderess , " he argues simplistically , smitten by her beauty .
"
she 's too fine a woman .
"
his attitude upsets his beautiful and increasing jealous wife , gay ( ann todd ) .
unlike most hitchcock movies , which are centered on the thriller and the mystery , this one is more a romantic melodrama .
typical is the scene in which gay flings her head back and shakes her hair while bathed in light .
she deflects her husband 's affections as she fears that he is beginning to fall in love with his client .
the dramatic music then comes up high as the camera dwells on mrs .
paradine 's portrait nearby .
in the relatively unsatisfying first half , little happens other than domestic squabbles and overtones of intense adulterous desires .
to the sound of sweeping violins
gay tells anthony that he must get mrs .
paradine acquitted because , if mrs .
paradine dies , his heart will go with her .
if she is freed , he will be able to forget her .
as part of the soap opera , a mysterious louis jordan plays mr .
paradine 's valet , who has had some not to be discussed relationships .
charles coburn plays anthony 's legal partner , sir simon flaquer .
and charles laughton , who looks like coburn , is judge lord horfield .
this being proper british society , they will all dine together at the judge 's house not long before the case begins .
court tv junkies will probably pick up the many differences , some subtle and others not , between the american and the british judicial systems .
one , for example , of which i was not aware is that the barrister can not speak to his own client during the recess if she is the process of testifying .
one sometimes wonders what the academy is thinking when they make their oscar nominations .
as the judge 's wife , lady sophie horfield , ethel barrymore got a nomination for best supporting actress -- the film 's only nomination -- for an inconsequential part with which she did little of merit .
( so the big question is when does hitchcock make his obligatory walk - on ?
at 37 minutes into the film , he leaves a train station carrying a large musical instrument case .
do n't miss it . ) in the second half the story finally comes alive when it gets into the courtroom .
the great master shows his hand there as the tensions build as rapidly in the second part as they lay fallow in the first .
watch how the camera angles are sometimes from the back and other times from way on high to set the exact tone for the trial 's action .
as anthony explains it , the simple case has only 3 possibilities : mr .
paradine poisoned himself , mrs .
paradine did it , or the valet did it .
the end includes many devastating revelations and some nice twists so it is too bad
the first half is so languid .
the paradine case runs 1 : 53 .
the picture is in black and white .
it is not rated but would be pg for mature themes and would be fine for kids around nine and up if they are interested .
to call him the " master of suspense " is an understatement some nice twists the story finally comes alive the great master shows his hand there like all hitchcock films , is well worth savoring