Under Capricorn

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Under Capricorn 1

Under Capricorn

Under Capricorn

Theatrical poster

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Produced by Alfred Hitchcock (uncredited)

Sidney Bernstein (uncredited)

Written by Novel:

Helen Simpson

Play:

John Colton

Margaret Linden

Adaptation:

Hume Cronyn

Screenplay:

James Bridie

Starring Michael Wilding

Ingrid Bergman

Joseph Cotten

Margaret Leighton

Cecil Parker

Music by Louis Levy (musical

direction)

Richard Addinsell (score)

Cinematography Jack Cardiff

Editing by Bert Bates

Studio Transatlantic Pictures

Distributed by Warner Bros.

Release date(s) September 8, 1949

Running time 117 minutes

Country United Kingdom

Language English

Under Capricorn is a 1949 British historical drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Production

The film is based on the novel Under Capricorn (1937) by Helen Simpson, with screenplay by James Bridie, and

adaptation by Hume Cronyn. The movie was co-produced by Hitchcock and Sidney Bernstein for their short-lived

production company Transatlantic Pictures and released through Warner Brothers. The film starred Michael Wilding,

Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, and Margaret Leighton.[1]

The film was Hitchcock's second film in Technicolor and uses ten-minute takes similar to those in Hitchcock's film

Rope (1948). It is believed that the audience thought Under Capricorn was going to be a thriller, which it was

notit was a domestic love triangle with a few thriller elements thrown inwhich apparently led to its box office

failure. However, the public reception of the film may not have been helped by the revelation in 1949 of Bergman's

illicit relationship withand subsequent pregnancy byItalian film director Roberto Rossellini.[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roberto_Rossellinihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Love_trianglehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rope_%28film%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Technicolorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Margaret_Leightonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ingrid_Bergmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Wilding_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Warner_Brothershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transatlantic_Pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sidney_Bernsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hume_Cronynhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Bridiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helen_de_Guerry_Simpsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Under_Capricorn_%28novel%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Drama_filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Historical_filmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Warner_Bros.http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transatlantic_Pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Cardiffhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Addinsellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Louis_Levyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cecil_Parkerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Margaret_Leightonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ingrid_Bergmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Wilding_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Bridiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hume_Cronynhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Helen_de_Guerry_Simpsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sidney_Bernsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcock


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Under Capricorn 2

Plot

In 1831 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Charles Adare (Michael Wilding) arrives with his uncle, the new

governor (Cecil Parker). Charles hopes to make his fortune. He is befriended by Samson Flusky (Joseph Cotten), a

prosperous businessman who is a former transported convict. Sam's wife, Lady Henrietta (Ingrid Bergman), was a

friend of Charles's sister in Ireland. Sam hopes that Charles will cheer up his wife, who is an alcoholic. Meanwhile

the housekeeper, Milly (Margaret Leighton), secretly loves Sam, and encourages Henrietta's drinking. Sam was

transported after he confessed to a killing actually committed by Henrietta, who followed Sam and waited for his

release.

Cast

Michael Wilding as Hon. Charles Adare, cousin of the governor

Ingrid Bergman as Lady Henrietta Flusky, old friend of Charles' sister

Joseph Cotten as Samson "Sam" Flusky, businessman and Henrietta's husband

Margaret Leighton as Milly, Flusky's housekeeper

Cecil Parker as The Governor of New South Wales Denis O'Dea as Mr. Corrigan, bureaucrat

Jack Watling as Winter

Harcourt Williams as the coachman

John Ruddock as Mr. Cedric Potter, bank manager

Bill Shine as Mr. Banks

Victor Lucas as the Rev. Smiley

Ronald Adam as Mr. Riggs

Martin Benson as the man carrying a shrunken head (uncredited)

The long takeIn Style and Meaning: Studies in the Detailed Analysis of Film, Ed Gallafent says:

[3]

The use of the long take in Under Capricorn relates to three elements of film's meaning.

1.1. Ideas of accessible and inaccessible space as expressed in the gothic house.

2.2. The form in which character inhabit their past

3. The divergence or convergence of eyelinesthe gaze that cannot, or must meet anothers.

All of these three elements can be linked to concepts of Guilt and Shame. In 1 and 2, the question is how

something is felt to be present. In 3, it is difference between representation or sharing, of the past as flashback,

and of the past as spoken narrative, where part of what is being articulated is precisely the inaccessibility of

the past, its experience being locked inside the speaker. As for 3, the avoided gaze is determining physical signof shame.

Gallafent, professor of film at University of Warwick, also explains these aspects ofUnder Capricorn:

The inscription on the Flusky's mansion -- Minyago Yugilla- means "Why weepest thou?"

St. Mary Magdalene (the patron saint of penitent sinners) in religious iconography: the bare feet, skull, the

flail, the looking glass in which the beholders face is not always reflected, the jewels cast down to floor. All of

these images are in the film. Sources for the imagery that Hitchcock might have had in mind are the paintings

St. Mary Magdalene With a Candle (1630-1635) and St. Mary Magdalene With a Mirror(1635-1645), both by

Georges de la Tour.

Note: "Minyago Yugilla", according to one source,[4]

is not written in a real language; according to othersources,

[5][6]it is in Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay), a now moribund Australian aboriginal language. See also this similar
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gamilaraay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indigenous_Australianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indigenous_Australianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gamilaraay_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Georges_de_la_Tourhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Magdalenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mansionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=University_of_Warwickhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martin_Benson_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ronald_Adam_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Shinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ruddockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harcourt_Williamshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Watlinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Denis_O%27Deahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Governor_of_New_South_Waleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cecil_Parkerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Margaret_Leightonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ingrid_Bergmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Wilding_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Margaret_Leightonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irelandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ingrid_Bergmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Penal_transportationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cecil_Parkerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Governors_of_the_Australian_stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Wilding_%28actor%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Australiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_South_Waleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sydney


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Under Capricorn 3

translation[7]

of the phrase "Minyilgo yugila".

Background

Alfred Hitchcock cameo: A signature occurrence in three-quarters of Hitchcock's films, he can be seen in the

town square during a parade, wearing a blue coat and brown hat at the beginning of the film. He is also one of

three men on the steps of the Government House 10 minutes later.

In Truffaut/Hitchcock, Hitchcock told Franois Truffaut that Under Capricorn was such a failure that Bankers

Trust Company, which had financed the film, repossessed the film, which then was unavailable until the first US

network television screening in 1968. In the Truffaut interview, Hitchcock also mentioned theNew York Times

reviewer, who wrote that the viewer had to wait almost 100 minutes for the first suspenseful moment.[8]

In Peter Bogdanovich's interview with Alfred Hitchcock, Bogdanovich mentions that French critics writing for

Cahiers du cinma in the 1950s considered Under Capricorn one of Hitchcock's finest films.[9]

Playwright James Bridie, who wrote the screenplay for Under Capricorn, is famous for his Biblical plays, such as

hisJonah and the Whale. Other Christian references in Under Capricorn include a moment near the end of the

film, where Milly says "The Lord works in mysterious ways", and Samson Flusky says "What is it they say in the

Bible? Great Gulf Fixed."

Cecil Parker's character is possibly a representation of General Richard Bourke, who served as the Governor of

New South Wales from 1831 to 1837.

References

[1] (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042004/companycredits).

[2] (http://www.ingridbergman. com/about/bio3. htm).

[3] Ed Gallafent's article "The Dandy and Magdalene: Interpreting the Long Take in Hitchcocks Under Capricorn". Style and Meaning: Studies

in the Detailed Analysis of Film. 2005. Manchester University Press.

[4] Hitchcock's Ireland: The Performance of Irish Identity in Juno and the Paycock and Under Capricorn (http://english. chass.ncsu.edu/

jouvert/

v4i1/

jmorr.

htm), by James Morrison, North Carolina State University, 20[5] Tinted Glasses: Gobblydookblog (http://hotcrossbuns.wordpress.com/2009/09/08/minyago-yugilla/), retrieved 12/10/09

[6] The wrong house: the architecture of Alfred Hitchcock(http://books. google. com/books?id=rIDVqjD6SZIC& pg=PT251& lpg=PT251&

dq="Minyago+ Yugilla"+language&source=bl& ots=Ej4_YxyPsP&sig=euNZh87ryh3BWyEMlxAwvKWUvDc& hl=en&

ei=Y2ghS_ynL4iZ8AaqlpmGAQ& sa=X&oi=book_result& ct=result&resnum=4& ved=0CBIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage& q="Minyago

Yugilla" language fictitious& f=false), essay by Steven Jacobs, p. 251

[7] Kamilaroi, and other Australian languages (http://www.archive.org/stream/kmilariother00ridlrich/kmilariother00ridlrich_djvu. txt), by

William Hilley

[8] Truffaut/Hitchcock. 1967. New York: Simon and Schuster.

[9] (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042004/trivia).

External links

Under Capricorn (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=768) at the American

Film Institute Catalog

Under Capricorn (http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/v51709) at AllRovi

Under Capricorn (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1022317-under_capricorn/) at Rotten Tomatoes

Under Capricorn (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042004/) at the Internet Movie Database

Under Capricorn (http://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=94358) at the TCM Movie Database

Under Capricorn (http://www.eyegate.com/cine/Under_Capricorn) Eyegate Gallery
http://www.eyegate.com/cine/Under_Capricornhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Turner_Classic_Movieshttp://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=94358http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Internet_Movie_Databasehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042004/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rotten_Tomatoeshttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1022317-under_capricorn/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AllRovihttp://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/v51709http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_American_Film_Institute_Catalog_of_Motion_Pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_American_Film_Institute_Catalog_of_Motion_Pictureshttp://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=768http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042004/triviahttp://www.archive.org/stream/kmilariother00ridlrich/kmilariother00ridlrich_djvu.txthttp://books.google.com/books?id=rIDVqjD6SZIC&pg=PT251&lpg=PT251&dq=%22Minyago+Yugilla%22+language&source=bl&ots=Ej4_YxyPsP&sig=euNZh87ryh3BWyEMlxAwvKWUvDc&hl=en&ei=Y2ghS_ynL4iZ8AaqlpmGAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Minyago%20Yugilla%22%20language%20fictitious&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=rIDVqjD6SZIC&pg=PT251&lpg=PT251&dq=%22Minyago+Yugilla%22+language&source=bl&ots=Ej4_YxyPsP&sig=euNZh87ryh3BWyEMlxAwvKWUvDc&hl=en&ei=Y2ghS_ynL4iZ8AaqlpmGAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Minyago%20Yugilla%22%20language%20fictitious&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=rIDVqjD6SZIC&pg=PT251&lpg=PT251&dq=%22Minyago+Yugilla%22+language&source=bl&ots=Ej4_YxyPsP&sig=euNZh87ryh3BWyEMlxAwvKWUvDc&hl=en&ei=Y2ghS_ynL4iZ8AaqlpmGAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Minyago%20Yugilla%22%20language%20fictitious&f=falsehttp://books.google.com/books?id=rIDVqjD6SZIC&pg=PT251&lpg=PT251&dq=%22Minyago+Yugilla%22+language&source=bl&ots=Ej4_YxyPsP&sig=euNZh87ryh3BWyEMlxAwvKWUvDc&hl=en&ei=Y2ghS_ynL4iZ8AaqlpmGAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22Minyago%20Yugilla%22%20language%20fictitious&f=falsehttp://hotcrossbuns.wordpress.com/2009/09/08/minyago-yugilla/http://english.chass.ncsu.edu/jouvert/v4i1/jmorr.htmhttp://english.chass.ncsu.edu/jouvert/v4i1/jmorr.htmhttp://www.ingridbergman.com/about/bio3.htmhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042004/companycreditshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Bourkehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Bridiehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cahiers_du_cin%C3%A9mahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Bogdanovichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_York_Timeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bankers_Trusthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bankers_Trusthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fran%C3%A7ois_Truffauthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Hitchcock_cameo_appearances


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Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsUnder Capricorn Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=562339092 Contributors: AlbertSM, Aspects, Bensin, Caiaffa, Captain-Scooby-Doo, Cayla, Darev, David spector, Estrose,

Feydey, Foofbun, Heslopian, Interlingua, Irishguy, Jni, JoeSmack, Konway87, Kookyunii, Lord Cornwallis, Lugnuts, Maxim, Mikomaid, Nehrams2020, Notmicro, Orbicle, PhantomS, Roaring

phoenix, Rrostrom, SamuelTheGhost, Savolya, Sketchmoose, Smith03, Steven J. Anderson, Supernumerary, Th1rt3en, The wub, TheFarix, Thismightbezach, Tjmayerinsf, Tomasboij,

Tomwhite56, Who, Wmahan, Xezbeth, 36 anonymous edits

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Under Capricorn