Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

A young girl, overjoyed when her favorite uncle comes to visit the family, slowly begins to suspect that he is in fact the "Merry Widow" killer sought by the authorities.

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Thornton Wilder (screenplay), Sally Benson (screenplay)

Stars:

Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, Macdonald Carey

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Teresa Wright	...	Charlie Newton
Joseph Cotten	...	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	...	Louise Finch
Estelle Jewell	...	Catherine

Storyline

Charlotte "Charlie" Newton is bored with her quiet life at home with her parents and her younger sister. She wishes something exciting would happen and knows exactly what they need: a visit from her sophisticated and much travelled Uncle Charlie Oakley, her mother's younger brother. Imagine her delight when, out of the blue, they receive a telegram from Uncle Charlie announcing that he is coming to visit them for awhile. Charlie Oakley creates quite a stir and charms the ladies' club, as well as the bank President where his brother-in-law works. Young Charlie begins to notice some odd behavior on his part, such as cutting out a story in the local paper about a man who marries and then murders rich widows. When two strangers appear asking questions about him, she begins to imagine the worst about her dearly beloved Uncle Charlie.

---

Plot Keywords:

murderer | serial killer | amateur detective | uncle | psychopath | 

---

Taglines:

Why Do I Fear the Man I Love? He Torments Me! Am I Going Mad?

---

Genres:

Film-Noir | Thriller

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was selected into the National Film Registry in 1991 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

---

Goofs

When Mrs. Newton is going to the telephone to inquire about the telegram, her left arm reaches for the wall and in the next shot reaches again.

---

Quotes

Uncle Charlie: The cities are full of women, middle-aged widows, husbands dead, husbands who've spent their lives making fortunes, working and working. And then they die and leave their money to their wives, their silly wives. And what do the wives do, these useless women? You see them in the hotels, the best hotels, every day by the thousands, drinking their money, eating their money, losing the money at bridge, playing all day and all night, smelling of money, proud of their jewelry but of nothing else, ...
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008)

---

Soundtracks

The Merry Widow Waltz
(1905) (uncredited)
Music by Franz Lehár
In the score throughout the movie

User Reviews

This is one of Hitch's best with images full of suspense , drama and tension

Handsome and uncomplicated uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten)has come to visit his family in Santa Rosa, returning to home town after longer absence. Although he seems a good man, his young niece (Teresa Wright)slowly comes to aware he is a wanted merry widow killer and he comes to recognize her malignant suspicions. The suspicious uncle Charlie gradually becoming stronger and mysterious. Meantime two detectives (Mcdonald Carey and Wallace Ford) are investigating. Further developments ensure an exciting climax on train.

From the story by Gordon McConnell, the picture gets unlimited suspense in crescendo, tense, full of lingering frames and with the typical touches Hitchcock. Besides a literately and thoughtful dialog signed by Thornton Wilder and Alma Reville (Hitchcock's usual screenwriter and wife) though lacking humor . After his successful British films as ¨39 steps¨ and ¨Jamaica Inn¨ , Hitch was encouraged to go to America and promptly shot his first work in Hollywood hired by the great producer David O'Selznick ; later on he directed this excellent picture . Fine performance by Joseph Cotten as sunny and cynic uncle Charlie . Teresa Wright as shy and glad young is superb and enjoyable . Likable couple formed by Henry Travers and Hume Cronyn in his film debut , booth of whom speaking continuously about murders. And of course cameo role by Alfred Hitchcock , this time as a man on train playing cards. Atmospheric and perceptible music by the maestro Dimitri Tiomkin, including piano sounds . Sensational visual style in black and white cinematography by the cameraman by Joseph Valentine . This interesting movie is brilliantly directed by the Master Hitchcock, resulting to be his favorite personal. It's remade in 1958 in quite inferior remake titled ¨Step down to terror¨ by Harry Keller with Charles Drake, Rod Taylor,Jocelyn Brando and Josephine Hutchinson, furthermore a lousy Television movie. The motion picture is indispensable watching for Hithcock lovers achieving the maximum impact on his audience. Rating : Very good, engrossing and essential viewing.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shadow of Doubt

Filming Locations:

Santa Rosa Convention & Visitors Bureau - 9 4th St, Santa Rosa, California, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$579

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1