This is the las Hitchcock film in which Hitchcock himself did not have a cameo role. Mary Yellen (Maureen O'Hara) travels to live with her aunt after her mother's death. She is left at the home of the local squire, justice of the peace, Sir Humphrey Pengallan (Charles Laughton). The next day she walks to her aunts, Patience Merlyn (Marie Ney) home, and is not so warmly welcomed by her uncle, Josh Merlyn (Leslie Banks). It doesn't take her long to figure that something is not right. She discovers her uncle is the leader of a band of cutthroats who are causing shipping accidents and then stealing the goods. They attempt to hang a member of their company, Robert Newton (Jem Trehearne). They try to hang him and Yellen is successful in cutting the rope. She and Newton make their way to Pengallan for protection. Pengallan in truth is the leader of the gang, telling them what ships to attack based on information he gleams from his rich friends. Pengallan goes along with Newton, who is a spy sent to stop the murder and theft of crewmen on the ships they have been sabotaging. The group is doing another job, with Yellen captured and forced to go with. They turn out the light warning of rocks, but while they are distracted, Yellen is able to restor the light and the ship escapes. Everything goes to pot, with the men turning on Banks. Banks and Yellen escape with Banks being shot. When they get back to the Inn he dies, and Pangallan shooting his wife before she can divulge that Pengallan is the crime boss. Pengallan leaves with Yellen, on their way to America. He has an attraction to her. Newton also has an attraction and follows with a group of officers. They track him to the boat, where he jumps from a mast causing his own demise.
Lots of action and good acting. Maurene O'Hara's firt major roll. Alfred Hitchcock directs based on a book by Daphne Du Maurier. Jamaican Inn is a real place in Cornwall, England and had problems with marauders.
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