1929
Alfred Hitchcock
Juno and The Paycock was a seminal tragi-comic play by Seán O’Casey depicting life in the slums of Dublin which is still performed today, most recently in the West End, starring Mark Rylance and J Smith Cameron. Alfred Hitchcock was a big fan and became friends with O’Casey – it’s been said he made the film because he didn’t want anyone else to adapt it.
During the Irish Civil War in 1922, a working class family with matriarch Juno at its centre, learns that they will come into a big inheritance. They start leading an extravagant lifestyle, forgetting the values that bound them together as a family.
The first full talkie that Hitchcock made, he filmed a faithful reproduction of the play using fewer of his directorial touches than he usually incorporated, although it saw Hitch and cameraman Jack Cox employ the long single take for the very first time. As there was no post-dubbing in those days, all sound effects had to be created within the scene.
Written by Alma Reville, Alfred Hitchcock, based on the play by Seán O’Casey
Please note Juno and the Paycock is only available as part of the Hitchcock The Beginning blu-ray box-set
The 2024 restoration was scanned in 4k 16 BIT by Silver Salt Restoration in the UK, from the original 35mm nitrate negative. Colour grading and restoration were completed by Silver Salt Restoration, who dedicated over 300 hours to manually clean and carefully remove sparkle, dirt and scratches, repair of missing frames, tears and correction of severe density fluctuation.
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