The Paradine Case

The Paradine Case, it is Hitchcock for sure, but may be the master should've stayed clear of boring courtroom dramas. Starring Gregory Peck, Alida Valli (an Italian actress of royal heritage in her American debut), Louis Jordan(a famous French actor of the time making his American debut in this film) and Ann Todd, the Paradine Case tells the story of a lawyer(Peck) getting involved with his client(Valli) accused of murdering her husband.

I do not know the story somehow didn’t jive well with me. I’ve read that Hitchcock wanted Garbo for the part played by Valli, but in my opinion even Garbo wouldn’t have fared much better. There is nothing really wrong with the actors, but there is something elementally wrong with the story that no amount of acting can make it better. 

For example Ms.Paradine(Valli) is supposedly a gold-digger from fringes of society who marries into money and distinction, thanks to the blind and rich, Mr.Paradine. But she is almost regal in her conduct, only thing missing is a tiara, maybe if you are a really good actress of a gold digger that must be the way you present yourself.

I had wanted to see a less famous Hitchcock movie, this fit the bill.