The Paradine Case was on TCM last night and I saw it for the first time in many years.
I had forgotten how weak a film it really is. Virtually no dramatic impact, the big courtroom admission has become obvious by the time uttered, and Peck as a British barrister, replete with American accent (couldn't they have just said he was an ex-pat Canadian or something) is ridiculous. It is quite understandable why Hitchcock wasn't happy with it.
. . . all that you say are minor trivialities . . . the film is his masterwork!
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why bring up Laura? that wasn't Hitch's.
anyways, i think this is probably the weakest Hitch film i've ever seen - and by that, i mean, the weakest film he's ever directed, but this is definitely NOT a Hitchcock film. this is a David O Selznick film through and through - he forced almost everyone to make it, and Hitch was clearly not happy (or cared) about any of it. dramatically and in terms of suspense, as well as visuals, there's just nothing much here.
I quite like the film. I'll be showing it with NOTORIOUS Saturday to my film group Saturday night and quite expect it to go over well.
I'm the kind of guy, when I move - watch my smoke. But I'm gonna need some good clothes though.