Jamaica Inn (1939) - DVD Missing Footage

Many of the US DVD releases of Jamaica Inn (1939) are missing approximately 8 minutes of footage.

At around the 52 minute mark, the transfer abrubtly cuts from Sir Humphrey Pengallan and James 'Jem' Trehearne leaving a room to Mary, Patience and Joss at "Jamaica Inn" — there is no explanation as to how Mary returned there, or why Sir Humphrey and Jem (now dressed in a military uniform) are banging on the door outside.

DVD Releases

The following DVDs are known to have the footage missing:

The following DVDs are known to have the footage intact:

The Missing Scenes

The following is based on a viewing of the UK Carlton DVD:

Jem         [produces piece of paper]  I’ve got a list of them here.
Sir H       Kindly remember I’m a justice of the peace.
Jem         [handing Sir H the paper]  Nevertheless, I think you’ll 
            be rather interested in these brandies.

Sir H reads the paper and focuses on the phrases "James Trehearne"
and "Officer of the Law".

Sir H       Erm... Er, gentlemen, I think I must look into this matter 
            in private.
Basil       What?
Sir H       [to Jem]  Come along, my dear chap.  

Sir H & Jem leave the room.

Basil       [to the departing Sir H]  Pengallan, if you don’t find 
            something good for me, I’ll report you to the Commission.
Sir H       [to Jem]  After you, my dear fellow.

DVDs with missing footage end the scene here

Sir H & Jem enter the main hall.

Chadwick    I’ve placed some bread and beer for the person in the 
            harness room.
Sir H       [to Chadwick]  Have you now?  Place some cold chicken 
            and claret "for this person" in the study.  Find some 
            clothes for Mr Trehearne.  Mine would be a triffle 
            generous.  One of Lord George’s would be nearer the mark.
Chadwick    [surprised]  For this gentleman?
Sir H       Yes.  Will you hurry?  Hurry!
Chadwick    Master Humphrey...

Sir H & Jem walk away.

Sir H       [to Jem]  My dear sir, I must apologise.  I hadn’t the 
            least idea who you were.  Now, a stiff glass of brandy 
            till you’re fed and in dry clothes.
Jem         I’m most awfully oblidged to you.

Sir H & Jem enter the study.

Sir H       Not all all.  Come in.
Jem         I hold the rank of Lieutenant in His Majesty’s Royal Navy.  
            I was seconded for duty from the Home Office.  I’ve been 
            at some pains to conceal my identity.
Sir H       [pouring a brandy]  I still haven’t the least notion what 
            it’s all about, but swallow this before you tell me.  I 
            always had a great admiration for the service.  I knew 
            Collingwood well.  All fine fellows.  A trifle desiccated, 
            perhaps.  One can’t have everything.  Now what is all this 
            business?  Smuggling?
Jem         No, it’s much worse than that, sir.  Wrecking.  Deliberate, 
            organised wrecking.
Sir H       Not here, though?
Jem         Yes sir, Along this coast.
Sir H       Always had wrecks here, you know.  A very dangerous coast.
Jem         Lloyds discovered that these wrecks had one curious 
            feature in common.
Sir H       Indeed?  Drink that up.  I think I’ll join you with the 
            brandy.  It has been er... quite eventful morning.  [Jem 
            drink his brandy]  What had these wrecks in common?
Jem         There were never any survivors.

Sir H drinks his large brandy in one go.

Sir H       Er, Mr Trehearne, if what you tell me is true, it’s the 
            most dreadful thing I’ve ever heard.  We hear of wrecks 
            down here...
Jem         Lloyds consulted with the Home Office.  They became 
            convinced these wreckers had accurate information of the 
            movements and cargoes of ships...

They are interrupted by Chadwick entering the study, bringing a
plate of food.

Chadwick    Captain Murray wishes to say goodbye to you, sir.
Sir H       [to Jem]  Would you excuse me?
Jem         Certainly.

Sir H leaves the study and enters the main hall.

Murray      I’m just going.  I enjoyed myself immensely.  You’re a 
            prince.
Sir H       Goodbye, Captain.  Bon voyage.
Murray      I’m coming back again.
Sir H       I shall be thinking of you our there in this wind when 
            I’m sitting over my port tonight.

Murray leaves.  Sir H returns to the study where Jem is eating the 
food.

Sir H       [to Jem]  All right?
Jem         Jolly good. 
Sir H       Well, er, Mr Trehearne, kindly continue.
Jem         My research took me to Jamaica Inn.  The landlord is the 
            ringleader.  That wreck last night was carried out by his 
            men.
Sir H       You were actually there?
Jem         No, thank heaven, I was still on probation.  But I helped
            carry the goods up afterwards.
Sir H       Have you erm...  Have you reported all this to your 
            superiors?
Jem         No, not yet.

Sir H, visibly relieved, sits down.

Jem         I’m after bigger fry than Joss Merlyn.
Sir H       I don’t follow you.  Erm... You er... said he was the 
            ringleader.
Jem         At Jamaica Inn, yes, but he gets his orders from outside.  
            His information comes from outside.  His thinking’s done 
            for him outside.
Sir H       By whom?
Jem         I don’t know.  Merlyn’s own wife doesn’t know.  The gang 
            don’t even know.  That’s the man we’ve got to find.

Sir H ponders and looks out of the window.

Jem         Yes, Joss has called the men for tonight.  There’s to be 
            another wreck.  They won’t know where until they get 
            information from their leader.  In order to give them 
            that information, he’ll be going to the inn tonight.

Sir H leaps up from the chair.

Sir H       We mush get there first.
Jem         We can’t do that single-handed.  I’ll ride for help to 
            the nearest garrison.
Sir H       But that’ll take time.  We mustn’t let this fellow slip 
            through our fingers.  How’s this – you can I will go to 
            the inn.  My groom can take a message to the garrison at 
            Truro for you.  [picks up his gun and takes some bullets]
            Take some of those.  You say Merlyn’s riffraff won’t be 
            there till later?  I fancy we two can hold the fort till
            the military come.
Jem         I’m game, if you are, sir.
Sir H       Excellent.  This is positively exciting.  [playfully 
            points his gun at Jem’s face]

A knock at the door and Chadwick enters.

Sir H       Come in.  [points gun at Chadwick]  Chadwick, your money 
            or your life?
Chadwick    The clothes, sir.  I’ve not told Lord George.
Jem         Who’s the commander at Truro?
Sir H       Er...  Captain... Boyle, an Irishman, I believe.  Good 
            fellow in a pinch.
Jem         I’ll write him a note.
Sir H       No, my dear fellow, I’ll do that.  You get into Lord 
            George’s breeches.

Chadwick leaves.  Sir H writes a letter whilst Jem changes.

Sir H       [out loud to himself]  To er... Captain... Boyle... erm...
            officer commanding... county militia, Truro.  [to Jem]  
            What shall I erm... say to him?  You know this style of 
            thing.
Jem         Your help is needed urgently.
Sir H       Your er... help?
Jem         Help, yes.  Help.  
Sir H       [writing]  Is... needed... urgently.

Cut to Mary, who is now in dry clothes, She descends the staircase 
and we hear Jem’s voice in the distance as he dictates to Sir H.
Mary rushes down the staircase and then goes to the study door in
time to hear Jem finishing the dictation...

Jem         [from the study]  ...to give your immediate attention...  
            I have with me an officer of the law, James Trehearne...  
            [Sir H repeats this as he writes it down]

Mary stalls at the door and listens closely.  Jem continues his 
dictation – neither he nor Sir H have noticed that Mary is 
eavesdropping.

Jem         Got that?  All right, Sir Humphrey?
Sir H       Yes.
Jem         [continues dictation]  ...he reports that the wreckers 
            have their headquarters at Jamaica Inn, Pengallan and has
            enough evidence to hang the landlord and his accomplices.

Mary is visibly shocked by what she hears.  We return to the inside 
of the study.

Sir H       [finishes the letter]  Are you ready?
Jem         Yes.
Sir H       A miraculous fit.  You put Lord George in the shade, 
            what?  [Jem is now fully dressed in a military uniform]

We return to the main hall, where Mary hides behind a pillar to avoid 
being seen as Jem and Sir H enter from the study.

Sir H       ...I’d better get you a hat.  [calling out]  Chadwick!  
            [to Jem]  We must leave at once, you know.
Jem         One moment, sir.  The girl, Miss Yellan, she mustn’t know
            about this.
Sir H       Oh, no, no, no.  That must wait.  Poor thing.  Evidently
            devoted to her relative.
Jem         I had no choice, Sir Humphrey.  I couldn’t tell her the
            truth.

Chadwick enters.

Sir H       [to Chadwick]  Tell Sam I want him at once.  Where is he?
Chadwick    In the kitchen, sir.
Sir H       [calling out]  Sam!  [to Jem]  You’d better have a warm 
            cloak.  Chadwick, get Mr Trehearne the blue cloak, not 
            the one with the astrakhan collar, get him a hat, and get
            me my cloak and hat.

Sam enters.

Sir H       Oh, Sam.
Jem         [to Sam as he hands him the letter]  Ride into Truro as
            fast as you can.  Deliver that to Captain Boyle at 
            Militia Headquarters.  
Sam         Captain Boyle?
Jem         Yes.
Sir H       Gallop all the way.
Sam         Very good, sir.
Sir H       Would you be good enough to tell Robbins I want my coach
            at once.  Come along.

Mary slips away as the others turn to leave.

Sir H       Chadwick!
Chadwick    Your coat, sir.
Sir H       Oh, thank you.  Would you tell Mrs Black to look after 
            the young lady, and if she can persuade her to get a 
            little sleep, so much the better?  Will you make my 
            excuses for me?  Tell Lord George I’ll be back for dinner.
Chadwick    Yes, sir.

Sir H and Jem go outside.

Sir H       [calling out]  Robbins!

Robbins runs up.

Sir H       Where is my coach?  Isn’t it ready?
Robbins     The young lady came round the back and took it, sir.
Sir H       [shocked]  What?
Robbins     She said you had ordered it for her, sir.
Jem         [to Sir H]  Do you think...?
Sir H       [to Robbins]  Horses!  Quick, will you?

Fade to blackness.  A door opens – we are back at Jamaica Inn with 
Mary and Patience.

Mary        You must come away with me while there’s time.  That man 
            I cut down was a law officer.  He’s on his way here now 
            with Sir Humphrey.  They’ve sent to Truro for help.  
            [she looks down at the fine clothes she is wearing]  I 
            must change.   Get your things together before they come.
Patience    I must tell Joss.
Mary        No time!
Patience    I’ll not leave without Joss.
Mary        They know the truth and, Auth Patience, so do I.  
            [Patience looks shocked]  This is your last chance to be
            free of him.  Your last chance!
Patience    No!
Mary        He’s a wrecker, a murderer.
Patience    But he’s my husband.  Oh Mary, you don’t understand.  
            You don’t know him.

They both hear footsteps approaching and they back away from the 
door in fear.

Joss enters and looks in surprise at Mary.

Patience    [to Joss]  She’s come here to warn us.  We must get away.
Joss        [to Mary]  Where’s that fellow?  Where’s Trehearne?
Patience    Joss, they’re coming for you.  Trehearne’s a law officer.
            We can’t...

DVDs with missing footage begin again here

There is a knock at the door.  Cut to outside where we see Jem 
knocking on the door, with Sir H behind him.