Suspicion (1941)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Samson Raphaelson (screenplay) &
Joan Harrison (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 November 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Love in his Heart . . . Tragedy in his Mind ! The stars of "Penny Serenade" and "Rebecca" in this most thrilling mystery . . .

Plot:

A shy young English woman marries a charming gentleman, then begins to suspect him of trying to kill her.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Honeymoon | Murderer | Money | Love

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Johnnie
Joan Fontaine	...	Lina
Cedric Hardwicke	...	General McLaidlaw (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Nigel Bruce	...	Beaky
Dame May Whitty	...	Mrs. McLaidlaw
Isabel Jeans	...	Mrs. Newsham
Heather Angel	...	Ethel - Maid
Auriol Lee	...	Isobel Sedbusk
Reginald Sheffield	...	Reggie Wetherby
Leo G. Carroll	...	Captain Melbeck

Also Known As:

Before the Fact (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Spain:13 | UK:U (tv rating) | Brazil:16 | Canada:PG (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | USA:Approved (certificate #7113)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

In interviews, 'Alfred Hitchcock (I) said that an RKO executive ordered that all scenes in which Cary Grant appeared menacing be excised from the film. When the cutting was completed, the film ran only fifty-five minutes. The scenes were later restored, Hitchcock said, because he shot each piece of film so that there was only one way to edit them together properly.

Goofs:

Continuity: Hitchcock makes his cameo appearance about forty minutes in, posting a letter in the village. However, when the shot changes, he has suddenly disappeared from beside the pillar-box.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Johnnie Aysgarth: Oh, I beg your pardon. Was that your leg? I had no idea we were going into a tunnel. I thought the compartment was empty.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Telescope: A Talk with Hitchcock" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Vienna Blood Waltz

The Mysterious Cary Grant

For the very first time, we see a mysterious side to Cary Grant. Up until now, Grant played the Romantic Comedy actor with a few acrobatics roped in from his days on the stage. Even his tears in 'Gunga Din' and 'Penny Serenade' did not lift him into the category of a serious actor. In 'Suspicion' however, Hitchcock takes Grant's career to another level by setting up in the audience's mind the suspicion of whether or not he is a murderer. Although the plot is overly dramatic and revolves around the suspicion of whether or not Grant is a murderer, there are other redeeming qualities that lift it out of itself. Frank Waxman's score for one was nominated for 'Best Score', and was part of an early alliance with Hitchcock which led to him scoring 'Rear Window'. The all star cast of Grant with Fontaine, Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce fresh from the 'Sherlock Holmes' films. And the opportunity in Grant's career to be seen in a different light. Unlike 'Rebecca', this was not a Selznick or even a Hitchcock film, it was a Cary Grant film that gave him a depth of mystery in his profile which was beautifully articulated in 'Charade' 22 years later where you weren't quite sure whether or not he was a crook or a protagonist.