Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Thornton Wilder (screenplay) &
Sally Benson (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 August 1943 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A Blast of DRAMATIC Dynamite exploded right before your eyes!

Plot:

A young woman discovers her visiting "Uncle Charlie" may not be the man he seems to be.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Suspect | California | Visit | Detective

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 23

8:45 AM

TCM

Cast

Teresa Wright	...	Charlotte 'Charlie' Newton
Joseph Cotten	...	Uncle Charlie Oakley
Macdonald Carey	...	Jack Graham
Henry Travers	...	Joseph Newton
Patricia Collinge	...	Emma Newton
Hume Cronyn	...	Herbie Hawkins
Wallace Ford	...	Fred Saunders
Edna May Wonacott	...	Ann Newton
Charles Bates	...	Roger Newton
Irving Bacon	...	Station Master
Clarence Muse	...	Pullman Porter
Janet Shaw	...	Waitress Louise Finch
Estelle Jewell	...	Catherine

Also Known As:

Shadow of Doubt (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Spain:13 | South Korea:15 (2004) | Brazil:14 | USA:PG (re-rating) (1984) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:PG | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #9011) (original rating) | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

904 McDonald Avenue, Santa Rosa, California, USA

Company:

Skirball Productions

Trivia:

The portrait that hangs on the wall of Charlie's room to the right of her door is one drawn by Willy Pogany of actress Mary Philbin, who was a leading lady at Universal just 20 years before.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Charlie examines the ring at the library, the manner the ring is held in the closeup is not the same as immediately before or after.

Quotes:

Young Charlie: He thought the world was a horrible place. He couldn't have been very happy, ever. He didn't trust people. Seemed to hate them. He hated the whole world. You know, he said people like us had no idea what the world was really like.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Disconnected (1983)

Soundtrack:

Merry Widow Waltz

Among the greatest Hitchock classics of the 40's

The ultimate master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock directed his fascinating masterpiece "Shadow of a doubt" at the age of 44 and it was a terrific improvement after the classic "Saboteur" which was definitely a great Hitch movie too, don't get me wrong here. Could it be more simple: this one just had a perfect story that really touched the audience and the whole wicked idea of finding out you have a killer uncle is most exciting when you think of it. It could happen to anybody, I'm sure. No wonder this was one of Hitchcock's own personal favorites. "Shadow of a doubt" may not be the finest Hitchcock-movie of the 40's, though. I admit I haven't seen all of them but I think "Rope" was ever better and "Spellbound" at least just as marvelous but it's safe to say this is one of the most stylish Hitchcock-movies of the decade. What a shame Joseph Cotten never became a bigger star because his powerful performance was one of the most memorable elements of the film.