Film of the Week: Alfred Hitchcock’s “Shadow of a Doubt,” 1943

Universal Pictures

In a seedy boarding house in Newark, New Jersey, a world-weary man stretches out on his narrow bed. His landlady interrupts his rest and scolds him for leaving his money out in the open. She informs him that two men came looking for him. The man is angered and ventures out into the glare of the city, walking past his followers in defiance.

Meanwhile, In Santa Rosa, California—the picture of suburban America—Charlotte “Charlie” Newton is also stretched out on her bed. She’s bored—bored with everything in her young life. She wishes they could have some excitement, some culture. Young Charlie is thrilled when they receive a telegram from her Uncle Charlie Oakley—her mother’s younger brother. He’s coming to town. Charlie thinks that’s just what they need.

Universal Pictures

Like her mother, Young Charlie is enchanted by the man for whom she was named. He brings extravagant gifts and throws around his money. Most importantly, his presence has not only brought some excitement to Santa Rosa, but has brought so much joy to Young Charlie’s mother. So what if Uncle Charlie acts a little peculiar sometimes? Great men are often peculiar. Yet, why doesn’t Uncle Charlie want his photograph taken? And, what’s behind his strange rant in which he declares that wealthy women should be slaughtered like animals?

When two detectives come looking for one of two men they suspect to be “The Merry Widow Murderer” who seduces and kills wealthy widows, Charlie refuses to believe that her uncle could have anything to do with it. But, then, there are the “accidents.” And, Charlie realizes that her uncle is more than just an exciting relation.

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Alfred Hitchock considered Shadow of a Doubt his favorite film. Many call it his first masterpiece. It is, certainly, Hitchcock’s first truly “American” film. Others he directed in the U.S. were still set abroad. Hitchcock was fascinated with the idea of the quintessential American town. He contracted famed American playwright, Thornton Wilder—known for his dramas set in small town America—to write the script. Hitchcock and his wife also contributed ot the screenplay. The town of Santa Rosa was selected as the setting of the film because, to Hitchcock, it could have been anywhere in the Unites States. Hitchcock made the uncharacteristic decision to shoot the film on location—something he rarely did. While some sequences were later reshot in a studio on a recreated set, the majority of the finished film was shot in Santa Rosa.

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The cast of Shadow of a Doubt was exceptional. Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotton starred as Young Charlie and Uncle Charlie respectively. Wright was reuninted with her The Little Foxes co-star, Patricia Collinge, who played Young Charlie’s mother. Rounding out the cast were a young Hume Cronyn as a curious neighbor and Macdonald Carrey as the detective/Young Charlie’s love interest.

Universal Pictures

This film is full of classic Hitchcock-ian touches from the black smoke which issues from the train as it arrives with Uncle Charlie to the smooth and steady camera work as we focus on Uncle Charlie standing menacingly atop the front steps. With a score by Dimitri Tiomkin the result is a chilling and suspenseful 108 minutes. If you’ve not seen Shadow of a Doubt, I would highly recommend it. Enjoy the full picture below...