konway87 Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 TCM is broadcasting The Paradine Case (114 minutes version) on January 6th at 2 pm. As you know, Hitchcock's original cut ran close to 3 hours. David O. Selznick reduced the film to 1 hour and 54 minutes. Sadly, Original Cut is still missing. I just wanted to tell everyone that the film is broadcasting on January 6th at 2 pm. The Paradine Case (1947) starring Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Joan tetzel, Charles Laughton, Charles Coburn, Leo G. Carroll, Ethel Barrymore, Alida Valli, and Louis Jourdan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefilmone Posted December 27, 2007 Share Posted December 27, 2007 Three hours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konway87 Posted December 27, 2007 Author Share Posted December 27, 2007 Yes, the film ran close to 3 hours. There was a thrilling courtroom scene that was completely removed when Selznick reduced the film to 1 hour and 54 minutes. If you are interested, then here is the link of the photograph of the missing courtroom scene. http://www.hitchcockmania.it/filmografia/the_paradine_case/backstage/09.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainingviolets21 Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 The 66 minutes missing, from what I understand, is a prequel showing how Maddalena Paradine met her blind husband, and another scene where Peck and Valli are trying to open a faucet, to fill a picher and the water spashes both of them and they both burst into laughter, Hitchcock thought these scenes important to make Mrs. Paradine seem more human. Selznick veto'd them and another scene showing when she first met the valet. And another courtroom scene, Some of this is mentioned in the book Memo From David O'Selznick~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimpunkrock Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 The digital cable channel called Retro-Plex use to play this movie all the time a year ago. It is cool that TCM got the right to play it. I would love to see that original cut. Also does anyone know why Spellbound is not on DVD yet? Retro-Plex use to play this one often also. I hope TCM plays it sometime this year. Spellbound is an amazing movie and one of my favs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bansi4 Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 All I know is that Ethel Barrymore was exceptional in this otherwise mediocre movie, and I hope none of her scenes were chopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konway87 Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 I think The Paradine Case was a great film. David O. Selznick trimmed many of the brilliant scenes. There was a brilliant scene where Ethel Barrymore talks to Gregory Peck in a Art Museum. And David O. Selznick trimmed that wonderful scene. Performances were good in this film. But Selznick's trimming made the film flat. Missing 1 hour and 6 minutes contains Another Brilliant Courtroom Scene where Gregory Peck (Anthony Keane) shows his brilliant skills, Art Museum Scene, Long take technique Scenes by Hitchcock, Missing Charles Coburn/Gregory Peck Conversation Scene in the Courtroom, and Many Other Great Scenes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelluloidKid Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Alfred Hitchcock's rough cut of The Paradine Case ran close to 3 hours. But David O. Selznick trimmed the film into 132 minutes and finally to 114 minutes. The released DVD versions of The Paradine Case only have 114 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konway87 Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 Yes, if Editing of The Paradine Case was done under Hitchcock, then the film would have been 2 hours and 30 minutes including the missing trial scene. But David O. Selznick's editing decisions were very bad. In the end, what we get is 114 minutes. There were lots of suspenseful moments in Hitchcock's original cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSO Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Just a couple questions. I watched this again and as a matter of curiosity, does anyone know if Louis Jordan's character was supposed to be gay? Like she was such a schemer that she actually seduced him against his nature or was he just dyed in the wool faithful to his employer . . Sometime I miscue the subtlety of the 30 and 40's, where it would have been more obvious to a filmgoer of that era. Does anybody notice how Maddelena's hair keeps getting less and less elaborate as the case drags on, like a dispirited caged bird losing her feathers. Was that purposeful intent on Hitch's part or just a matter of you can't keep a comb and set very well in Newgate. I liked Ethel Barrymore but I swear I don't remember her as being such a doormat in this movie, I swear I saw her give Charles a gentle but firm dressing down for his lack of character and ethics over his courtroom demeanor during the trial, something like I loved you once Tommy but you've changed and I don't like what you've become (or was that another movie?) . . . He absolutely steam roles her in this version I saw and she never even uttered a wimper. I would have prefered her making a token effort to shame him for his total lack of character. One more last thing . . .What does it say about a woman who has a picture of herself painted on her headboard. Ugghhh, that disturbed me so much, but I really can't say why and that particular portrait pose just eminates evil to me, or is it perverseness. Oh well, but although it's not one of Hitch's best, it still has something to say I think, but I would never mix it up with Witness for the Prosecution, even though it has Charles Laughton in both. WFTP is the schizzle, I wish I could watch it a new over and over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainingviolets21 Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 It might have been one of Hitch's best if he had the final cut, not Selznick....the scenes Hiitch shot ran three hours long and included some good, nessecery film, including a scene in prison where Peck and Valli tried to make a pot of tea and the faucet explodes in their faces and they both double over with laughter, another scene involves Miss Barrymore and Peck and it takes place in an Art Gallery, there are flashbacks not shown of Valli's first meeting with the valet.... and, yes his character was gay...there is a line that says she challenged his repulsion of all woman...as for her hairdo becoming less full, that was Selznick, who thought her hair pulled back from her face would make her more attractive [all it did was make her look older] there is also a missing, important scene between Peck and Mr. Coburn....as for the painting on her headboard that was shown to entice Peck as to where she slept, I got most of my info from Memo from David O'Selznick.... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsclassic Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I watched and enjoyed Lifeboat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSO Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 thanks for the insights Violets . . . Wouldn't it be amazing if we had more of those directors cuts available for review, all that amazing stuff on the cutting room floor. I sure wish I could remember where I saw that scene with Ethel Barrymore, going to have to give it another going over, maybe it was "The Spiral Staircase" . . . anyway, thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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