Juno and the Paycock (film)
Encyclopedia
Juno and the Paycock is a film directed by Alfred Hitchcock
, and starring Barry Fitzgerald
, Maire O'Neill
, Edward Chapman
and Sara Allgood
.
The film was based on a successful play
by Sean O'Casey
.
appears as an orator in the first scene of the film, but has no other role. In the slums of Dublin during the Irish Civil War
, Captain Boyle (Edward Chapman
) lives in a two room tenement flat with his wife Juno (Sara Allgood
) and children Mary (Kathleen O'Regan
) and Johnny (John Laurie
). Juno has dubbed her husband "Captain Paycock" because she thinks him as useful and vain as a Peacock. Juno works while the Captain loafs around the flat when not drinking up the family's meager finances at the neighborhood pub.
Daughter Mary has a job but is presently on strike against the victimization of a co-worker. Son Johnny has become a semi invalid after losing an arm and severely injuring his hip in a fight with the Black and Tans
during the Irish War of Independence
. Although Johnny has taken the Anti-Treaty side during the continuing Irish Civil War
, he has recently turned in a fellow IRA member to the Irish Free State
police. As a result, Captain Paycock tells his friend Joxer (Sidney Morgan
) of his disgust for his son.
Daughter Mary is courted by Jerry Devine (Dave Morris
) but dumps him for Charlie Bentham (John Longden
) who whisks her away after telling Mary's family the Captain is to receive an inheritance. The elated Captain borrows money against the (as yet un-received) inheritance and spends it freely on new furniture and a Victrola. Family friends are invited to an impromptu party at the once shabby tenement.
The Captain soon learns the inheritance was a lie by Charles to gain Mary's favors. The Captain keeps the bad news a secret until creditors show up. Even Joxer turns on the Captain and gleefully spreads the news of the nonexistent inheritance. The furniture store repossesses the furniture. The tailor demands money for new clothes. Pub owner Mrs. Madigan’ (Maire O'Neill
) takes the Victrola to cover the Captain's bar tab.
The worst is yet to come, however. Mary reveals that she has shamed the family by becoming pregnant by Charles, who has long since disappeared. Her former fiancé Jerry proclaims his love for Mary and offers to marry her back until he learns of her pregnancy. As a parting shot, it is revealed that Johnny's body has been found riddled with bullets. Almost certainly through Joxer, the Anti-Treaty IRA has learned of his status as an informer for the Garda Síochána
. Realizing that their family has been destroyed, Mary declares, "It's true. There is no God
." Although completely shattered, Juno shushes her daughter, saying that they will need both Christ
and the Blessed Virgin to deal with their grief. Alone, however, she laments her son's fate before the religious statues in the family's empty tenement.
by Sean O'Casey
. Hitchcock filmed a faithful reproduction of the play using few of the directorial touches he had incorporated in his previous films. Instead he often held the camera for long single shots. He was eager to have a scene set outside the flat inserted into the film, and after permission from O'Casey, added a pub scene. O'Casey made quite an impression on Hitchcock, and was the inspiration for the prophet
of doom in the diner
in The Birds
.
This was the second sound film by Alfred Hitchcock. The cast's strong Irish accents, along with the still primitive sound recording techniques, rendered the dialogue nearly incomprehensible to anyone outside of the region .
Sara Allgood reprised her role as Juno from the play. Barry Fitzgerald made his film debut.
In the U.S., there is a contractor who releases public domain DVDs based on the former view.
On the other hand, Canal+
which holds the present copyright asserts copyright continuation based on the latter view.
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
, and starring Barry Fitzgerald
Barry Fitzgerald
Barry Fitzgerald was an Irish stage, film and television actor.-Life:He was born William Joseph Shields in Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland. He is the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields. He went to Skerry's College, Dublin, before going on to work in the civil service, while...
, Maire O'Neill
Maire O'Neill
-External links:**...
, Edward Chapman
Edward Chapman (actor)
Edward Chapman was an English actor who starred in many films and television programmes, but is chiefly remembered as "Mr. Wilfred Grimsdale", the officious superior and comic foil to Norman Wisdom's character of Pitkin in many of his films from the late 1950s and 1960s.Chapman was born in...
and Sara Allgood
Sara Allgood
-Biography:Allgood was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her sister was actress Maire O'Neill.Allgood began her acting career at the Abbey Theatre and was in the opening of the Irish National Theatre Society, appearing in many of their plays all over Britain...
.
The film was based on a successful play
Juno and the Paycock
Juno and the Paycock is a play by Sean O'Casey, and one of the most highly regarded and oft-performed plays in Ireland. It was first staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1924...
by Sean O'Casey
Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.- Early life:...
.
Plot
Barry FitzgeraldBarry Fitzgerald
Barry Fitzgerald was an Irish stage, film and television actor.-Life:He was born William Joseph Shields in Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland. He is the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields. He went to Skerry's College, Dublin, before going on to work in the civil service, while...
appears as an orator in the first scene of the film, but has no other role. In the slums of Dublin during the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, Captain Boyle (Edward Chapman
Edward Chapman (actor)
Edward Chapman was an English actor who starred in many films and television programmes, but is chiefly remembered as "Mr. Wilfred Grimsdale", the officious superior and comic foil to Norman Wisdom's character of Pitkin in many of his films from the late 1950s and 1960s.Chapman was born in...
) lives in a two room tenement flat with his wife Juno (Sara Allgood
Sara Allgood
-Biography:Allgood was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her sister was actress Maire O'Neill.Allgood began her acting career at the Abbey Theatre and was in the opening of the Irish National Theatre Society, appearing in many of their plays all over Britain...
) and children Mary (Kathleen O'Regan
Kathleen O'Regan
Kathleen O'Regan was an Irish actor.-Filmography:-External links:* at Allmovie...
) and Johnny (John Laurie
John Laurie
John Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier...
). Juno has dubbed her husband "Captain Paycock" because she thinks him as useful and vain as a Peacock. Juno works while the Captain loafs around the flat when not drinking up the family's meager finances at the neighborhood pub.
Daughter Mary has a job but is presently on strike against the victimization of a co-worker. Son Johnny has become a semi invalid after losing an arm and severely injuring his hip in a fight with the Black and Tans
Black and Tans
The Black and Tans was one of two newly recruited bodies, composed largely of British World War I veterans, employed by the Royal Irish Constabulary as Temporary Constables from 1920 to 1921 to suppress revolution in Ireland...
during the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. Although Johnny has taken the Anti-Treaty side during the continuing Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
, he has recently turned in a fellow IRA member to the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
police. As a result, Captain Paycock tells his friend Joxer (Sidney Morgan
Sidney Morgan
Sidney Morgan was an English film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He directed 45 films between 1914 and 1937. As an actor he appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock film Juno and the Paycock....
) of his disgust for his son.
Daughter Mary is courted by Jerry Devine (Dave Morris
Dave Morris
Dave Morris is a British author of gamebooks, novels and comics and a designer of computer games and role-playing games.-Biography:Dave Morris is a graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford where he read Physics from 1976-79....
) but dumps him for Charlie Bentham (John Longden
John Longden
John Longden was a West Indian-born English film actor. He appeared in 84 films between 1926 and 1964, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.-Biography:...
) who whisks her away after telling Mary's family the Captain is to receive an inheritance. The elated Captain borrows money against the (as yet un-received) inheritance and spends it freely on new furniture and a Victrola. Family friends are invited to an impromptu party at the once shabby tenement.
The Captain soon learns the inheritance was a lie by Charles to gain Mary's favors. The Captain keeps the bad news a secret until creditors show up. Even Joxer turns on the Captain and gleefully spreads the news of the nonexistent inheritance. The furniture store repossesses the furniture. The tailor demands money for new clothes. Pub owner Mrs. Madigan’ (Maire O'Neill
Maire O'Neill
-External links:**...
) takes the Victrola to cover the Captain's bar tab.
The worst is yet to come, however. Mary reveals that she has shamed the family by becoming pregnant by Charles, who has long since disappeared. Her former fiancé Jerry proclaims his love for Mary and offers to marry her back until he learns of her pregnancy. As a parting shot, it is revealed that Johnny's body has been found riddled with bullets. Almost certainly through Joxer, the Anti-Treaty IRA has learned of his status as an informer for the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
. Realizing that their family has been destroyed, Mary declares, "It's true. There is no God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
." Although completely shattered, Juno shushes her daughter, saying that they will need both Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
and the Blessed Virgin to deal with their grief. Alone, however, she laments her son's fate before the religious statues in the family's empty tenement.
Cast
- Barry FitzgeraldBarry FitzgeraldBarry Fitzgerald was an Irish stage, film and television actor.-Life:He was born William Joseph Shields in Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland. He is the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields. He went to Skerry's College, Dublin, before going on to work in the civil service, while...
as The Orator - Maire O'NeillMaire O'Neill-External links:**...
as Maisie Madigan - Edward ChapmanEdward Chapman (actor)Edward Chapman was an English actor who starred in many films and television programmes, but is chiefly remembered as "Mr. Wilfred Grimsdale", the officious superior and comic foil to Norman Wisdom's character of Pitkin in many of his films from the late 1950s and 1960s.Chapman was born in...
as Captain Boyle - Sidney MorganSidney MorganSidney Morgan was an English film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He directed 45 films between 1914 and 1937. As an actor he appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock film Juno and the Paycock....
as "Joxer" Daly - Sara AllgoodSara Allgood-Biography:Allgood was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her sister was actress Maire O'Neill.Allgood began her acting career at the Abbey Theatre and was in the opening of the Irish National Theatre Society, appearing in many of their plays all over Britain...
as Mrs Boyle, "Juno" - John LaurieJohn LaurieJohn Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier...
as Johnny Boyle - Dave MorrisDave Morris (actor)Dave Morris was an American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 183 films between 1912 and 1949.He was born in Chicago, Illinois and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Jerry Devine - Kathleen O'ReganKathleen O'ReganKathleen O'Regan was an Irish actor.-Filmography:-External links:* at Allmovie...
as Mary Boyle - John LongdenJohn LongdenJohn Longden was a West Indian-born English film actor. He appeared in 84 films between 1926 and 1964, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.-Biography:...
as Charles Bentham - Dennis WyndhamDennis WyndhamDennis Wyndham was a South African film actor. He appeared in 47 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa....
as The Mobiliser - Fred Schwartz as Mr Kelly
Production
The film was based on the successful play Juno and the PaycockJuno and the Paycock
Juno and the Paycock is a play by Sean O'Casey, and one of the most highly regarded and oft-performed plays in Ireland. It was first staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1924...
by Sean O'Casey
Seán O'Casey
Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.- Early life:...
. Hitchcock filmed a faithful reproduction of the play using few of the directorial touches he had incorporated in his previous films. Instead he often held the camera for long single shots. He was eager to have a scene set outside the flat inserted into the film, and after permission from O'Casey, added a pub scene. O'Casey made quite an impression on Hitchcock, and was the inspiration for the prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
of doom in the diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
in The Birds
The Birds (film)
The Birds is a 1963 horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock based on the 1952 short story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California which is, suddenly and for unexplained reasons, the subject of a series of widespread and violent bird attacks over the course of a few...
.
This was the second sound film by Alfred Hitchcock. The cast's strong Irish accents, along with the still primitive sound recording techniques, rendered the dialogue nearly incomprehensible to anyone outside of the region .
Sara Allgood reprised her role as Juno from the play. Barry Fitzgerald made his film debut.
Copyright Status
The following two views are opposed to each other over the copyright of this work.- Copyright has already expired, according to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 , also known as the CDPA, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on 15 November 1988. It reformulates almost completely the statutory basis of copyright law in the United Kingdom, which had, until then, been...
, because it was issued over 70 years ago. - Copyright is in force until 2050 (over 70 years from the death of Hitchcock), according to the Directive harmonizing the term of copyright protection.
In the U.S., there is a contractor who releases public domain DVDs based on the former view.
On the other hand, Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
which holds the present copyright asserts copyright continuation based on the latter view.