Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten and Macdonald Carey in the Alfred Hitchcock movie ‘Shadow of a Doubt’

We return to the domain of psychological thriller with a look into Alfred Hitchcock‘s Shadow of a Doubt (1943). In what Alfred Hitchcock‘s daughter, Patricia Hitchcock, confirms here that Shadow of a Doubt was the director’s favorite of his own films owing to “the thought of bringing menace into a small town.” The screenplay was written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson and Alma Reville based on an original story by Gordon McDonell.

(From left, Teresa Wright as Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Newton and Joseph Cotten as Charles ‘Uncle Charlie’ Oakley in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Shadow of a Doubt).

Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Newton, portrayed by Teresa Wright, is a bored teenager living with her family in Santa Rosa, California. Charles Oakley, having lived alone in a rooming house in New York when becoming aware of a pair of men waiting for him, flees to the community of Santa Rosa. Charles, or Uncle Charlie to Charlotte, gives his niece an emerald ring with engraved initials not belonging to his niece included within. Joseph Cotten portrayed Charles Oakley.

(From left, Patricia Collinge as Emma Newton, Teresa Wright as Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Newton, Joseph Cotton as Charles ‘Uncle Charlie’ Oakley, Henry Travers as Joseph Newton, Charles Bates as Roger Newton and Edna May Wonacott as Ann Newton in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Shadow of a Doubt).

Patricia Collinge portrayed Emma Newton, the mother to Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Newton and sister to Charles ‘Uncle Charlie’ Oakley. Henry Travers portrays Joseph Newton, Emma’s husband and a banker whose bank would benefit from a deposit of $40,000 that Charles Oakley also looks to make; in contemporary valuation, that amounts to nearly $635,000. Edna May Wonacott and Charles Bates portrayed Charlotte’s siblings and other children to Emma and Joseph, respectively Ann Newton and Roger Newton.

(Macdonald Carey as Detective Jack Graham, Teresa Wright as Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Newton and Wallace Ford as Detective Fred Saunders in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Shadow of a Doubt).

Two men appear on the heels of Uncle Charlie, ostensibly to interview members of the Newton household about the typical day in the family’s household. While a clear if implausible ruse given that detectives Jack Graham and Fred Sanders are with law enforcement, the family is slower to recognize the implications than Uncle Charlie. Charlotte isn’t far behind, having been asked out by the younger detective. Graham eventually acknowledges the suspicion central to a mystery that we’ll not mention for wishing to invite you to see where circumstances lead. Macdonald Carey portrayed Detective Jack Graham, whereas Wallace Ford portrayed Detective Fred Saunders.

(From left, Henry Travers as Joseph Newton and Hume Cronyn as Herbie Hawkins in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Shadow of a Doubt).

Part of that unspoken mystery in humorously yet quite tantalizingly discussed between Newton family father, Joseph, and friend Herbie Hawkins discuss means for committing the perfect crime. Hume Cronyn portrays Hawkins. Herbie and Joseph trigger emotional responses from Uncle Charlie and Charlotte, who seek to protect different interests for quite distinct personal reasons. The intrigue grows to a fever pitch, with resolution coming in perhaps the least expected of ways.

(From left, actress Teresa Wright and director Alfred Hitchcock on set of the Alfred Hitchcock movie Shadow of a Doubt).

The means of resolving the larger mystery between the antagonists and the protagonist has every bit of modern feeling to them as any movie that could be delivered today. The cinema of the solution shows weakness that being more than 78-years-old doesn’t explain away, though the suspense is no less true or compelling. I grant Shadow of a Doubt as directed by Alfred Hitchcock 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, November 6, 2021