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4.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Juno and the Paycock remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're coming to this because you saw Psycho and want more of that, just stop now. You will probably hate this movie.
It’s not a thriller. There are no blondes in danger or cool camera tricks where the world spins around. It’s mostly just people in a small, dusty room shouting at each other in thick Irish accents. 🍺
I think it's worth watching if you care about how movies used to be made when sound was brand new. But honestly? It’s kind of a slog if you aren't in the right mood.
The story is about the Boyle family. The dad, Jack, is a total drunk who pretends his legs hurt so he doesn't have to work. They call him the "Paycock" because he struts around like he's important when he’s actually just a loser. 🦚
Juno is the mom and she’s the only one with any sense. She’s played by Sara Allgood and she’s basically the only reason to keep watching sometimes. Her face just looks so tired. Not movie tired, but like, "I've been washing clothes for thirty years" tired.
Early on, a guy in a suit comes in and tells them they’ve inherited a fortune. Suddenly, the apartment gets filled with tacky furniture they can't afford yet. They buy a gramophone. They think they're royalty.
There is this one scene where they are all gathered around the gramophone listening to a scratchy record. It goes on for a long time. You can see Hitchcock just letting the camera sit there. It’s almost awkward.
I noticed that the furniture looks way too new for that room. It stands out like a sore thumb. I guess that's the point, but it made the set look like a stage, which it basically was.
Hitchcock didn't really change much from the original play. If you've seen something like The Show, you know he usually likes to move the camera around more. Here, he feels stuck. Like he was afraid to mess with the writer's words.
Speaking of words, some of the dialogue is hard to catch. The sound recording back in 1930 wasn't exactly great. Everyone sounds like they are talking into a tin can filled with gravel.
Barry Fitzgerald shows up as the drinking buddy, Joxer. He’s got this weird, twitchy energy. He says "darlin'" every five seconds and you just want to kick him out of the house. He’s great, though. Very annoying, but great.
The movie takes a dark turn in the last twenty minutes. Like, really dark. The Civil War stuff that's been happening in the background suddenly crashes into the living room.
One of the sons has this shaky hand through the whole movie. You think it's just bad acting at first. But then you realize he’s absolutely terrified of what’s coming for him. It’s actually pretty effective once you get what’s happening.
There is a moment near the end where Juno is standing in an empty room. The lighting gets all dramatic and moody. Finally, it feels like a real movie and not just a recorded play. 🕯️
It’s weird how much the dad doesn't care about anything. Even when his whole world is burning down, he just wants another drink. It’s frustrating to watch. It made me want to reach into the screen and shake him.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Not even close. It feels like a fossil. But it’s a fossil with some really sharp teeth at the very end.
If you like old-school theater or want to see Barry Fitzgerald before he got famous in Hollywood, give it a look. If you want "cinema," maybe go watch A Christmas Carol or something with more sets.
The ending is just... wow. It’s cold. No happy endings here. Just two drunks stumbling around an empty house. It’s kind of perfect in a miserable way.
IMDb 4.9
1928
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