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Shadow of a Doubt 1

Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt

Theatrical release poster

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Produced by Jack H. Skirball

Screenplay by Thornton Wilder

Sally Benson

Alma Reville

Story by Gordon McDonell

Starring Teresa Wright

Joseph Cotten

Macdonald Carey

Patricia Collinge

Henry Travers

Music by Original music:

Dimitri Tiomkin

Non-original

music:

Franz Lehr

Cinematography Joseph A. Valentine

Editing by Milton Carruth

Distributed by Universal Pictures

Release date(s) January 12, 1943

Running time 108 minutes

Country United States

Language English

Shadow of a Doubt is a 1943 American psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Teresa

Wright and Joseph Cotten. Written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, and Alma Reville, the film was nominated for

an Academy Award for Best Story for Gordon McDonell. In 1991, the film was selected for preservation in the

United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically

significant".

Plot

A teenager living in the idyllic town of Santa Rosa, California, Charlotte "Charlie" Newton (Teresa Wright),

complains that nothing seems to be happening in her life. Then, she receives wonderful news: her uncle (for whom

she was named), Charlie Oakley (Joseph Cotten), her mother's younger brother, is arriving for a visit.

Two men show up pretending to be working on a national survey of the average American family. One of them

speaks to Charlie privately, identifying himself as Detective Jack Graham (Macdonald Carey). He explains that her

uncle is one of two men suspected of being a serial killer known as the "Merry Widow Murderer" who seduces,

steals from, and murders wealthy widows.

At first, young Charlie refuses to even consider that her uncle could be a murderer, but she notices him acting

strangely on several occasions. She confirms her suspicions when she sees that the initials engraved inside the

emerald ring Uncle Charlie gave her match those of one of the recent victims. Her suspicions grow during a family

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Serial_killerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Macdonald_Careyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teresa_Wrighthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Rosa%2C_Californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Library_of_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Film_Registryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Academy_Award_for_Best_Storyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alma_Revillehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sally_Bensonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thornton_Wilderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teresa_Wrighthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teresa_Wrighthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Psychological_thrillerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universal_Pictureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Franz_Leh%C3%A1rhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dimitri_Tiomkinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Travershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Patricia_Collingehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Macdonald_Careyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teresa_Wrighthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alma_Revillehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sally_Bensonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thornton_Wilderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcock

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Shadow of a Doubt 3

Cast

Teresa Wright as Charlotte "Charlie" Newton

Joseph Cotten as Charlie Oakley

Henry Travers as Joseph Newton, Charlotte's father, who loves to read crime stories

Patricia Collinge as Emma Newton, Charlotte's mother and Charles' sister

Macdonald Carey as Detective Jack Graham

Wallace Ford as Detective Fred Saunders

Hume Cronyn as Herbie Hawkins, a neighbor who, like Charlie's father, is also a crime fiction buff. He appears

periodically and discusses ideas for the perfect murder with his friend Joseph Newton

Hitchcock's cameo

Alfred Hitchcock appears about 15 minutes into the film, on the train to Santa Rosa, playing bridge with a man and a

woman (Dr. and Mrs. Harry). Charlie Oakley is traveling on the train under the assumed name of Otis. Mrs. Harry is

eager to help Otis, who is feigning illness in order to avoid meeting fellow passengers, but Dr. Harry is not interested

and keeps playing bridge. Dr Harry replies to Hitchcock that he doesn't look well while Hitchcock is holding a full

suit of spades, the best hand for bridge.

Reception

Upon release, the film received unanimously positive reviews. New York Times critic Bosley Crowther loved the

film, stating that "Hitchcock could raise more goose pimples to the square inch of a customer's flesh than any other

director in Hollywood".[1]

Time Magazine called the film "superb"[1]

while Variety stated that "Hitchcock deftly

etches his small-town characters and homey surroundings".[1]

In a 1964 interview on Telescope with host Fletcher Markle, Markle noted, "Mr Hitchcock, most critics have always

considered Shadow of a Doubt, which you made in 1943, as your finest film." Hitchcock replied immediately, "Me,

too." Markle then asked, "That is your opinion of it still?" Hitchcock replied, "Oh, no question." At the time of the

interview, Hitchcock's most recent work was Marnie. When later interviewed by Franois Truffaut, Hitchcock

denied the claim that Shadow of a Doubtwas his favourite.[2]

But in the audio interview with Truffaut, Hitchcock

confirmed it was his favorite film. Hitchcock later reiterated that Shadow of a Doubt was his favorite film in his

interview with Mike Douglas in 1969 and in his interview with Dick Cavett in 1972. Alfred Hitchcock's daughter

Patricia Hitchcock also said that her father's favorite film was Shadow of a Doubt in the documentary "Beyond

Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film".

Today, the film is still regarded as a masterpiece. Contemporary critic Dave Kehr called it Hitchcock's "first

indisputable masterpiece."[3]

Many other critics have agreed. Based on 30 reviews on the website Rotten Tomatoes,

the film has received 100%, with a consensus of "Alfred Hitchcock's earliest classic -- and his own personal favorite

-- deals its flesh-crawling thrills as deftly as its finely shaded characters".[1]

When asked by critics as to an

overarching theme for the film Hitchcock responded: "Love and good order is no defense against evil". In his book

Bambi vs. Godzilla, David Mamet calls it Hitchcock's finest film.

Radio adaptions and remake

The film was adapted for Cecil B. DeMille'sLux Radio Theateraired on January 3, 1944 with its original leading

actress and William Powell as Uncle Charlie. (Patrick McGilligan said Hitchcock had originally wanted Powell to

play Uncle Charlie, but MGM refused to lend the actor for the film.) In 1950, Shadow of a Doubtwas featured as a

radio-play on Screen Directors Playhouse. It starred Cary Grant as Uncle Charlie and Betsy Drake as the younger

Charlie.[4] It was also adapted to the Ford Theater (February 18, 1949). Joseph Cotten reprised the role on radio in

The Screen Guild Theateradaptations of May 24, 1943 and June 21, 1948 and again in the Academy Award Theatre

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metro-Goldwyn-Mayerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Radio_playhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Screen_Directors_Playhousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Screen_Directors_Playhousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cary_Granthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betsy_Drakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ford_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Screen_Guild_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Screen_Guild_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Screen_Guild_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Screen_Guild_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ford_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betsy_Drakehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cary_Granthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Screen_Directors_Playhousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Radio_playhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metro-Goldwyn-Mayerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Powellhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lux_Radio_Theaterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cecil_B._DeMillehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Mamethttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rotten_Tomatoeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dave_Kehrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fran%C3%A7ois_Truffauthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marnie_%28film%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fletcher_Marklehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Telescope_%28TV_series%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Variety_%28magazine%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Time_Magazinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alfred_Hitchcockhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bosley_Crowtherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_York_Timeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Contract_Bridgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Hitchcock_cameo_appearanceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hume_Cronynhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wallace_Fordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Macdonald_Careyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Patricia_Collingehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Travershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_Cottenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teresa_Wright

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Shadow of a Doubt 4

production ofShadow of a Doubtwhich aired Sept. 11, 1946.[5]

The film was remade as Step Down to Terror(1958).

References

[1] http:/ /www.rottentomatoes. com/m/1018688-shadow_of_a_doubt/

[2] Jim McDevitt, Eric San Juan.A Year of Hitchcock: 52 Weeks With the Master of Suspense. ISBN 9780810863880. Page 158.

[3] Chicago Readercapsule review (http://www.chicagoreader. com/chicago/shadow-of-a-doubt/Film?oid=2345510)

External links

Shadow of a Doubt(http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=657) at the

American Film Institute Catalog

Shadow of a Doubt(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/) at the Internet Movie Database

Shadow of a Doubt(http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1018688-shadow_of_a_doubt/) at Rotten Tomatoes

Streaming audio

Shadow of a Doubt(http:/

/

ia600508.us.

archive.

org/

0/

items/

ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_43-05-24_ep145_Shadow_of_a_Doubt.mp3) on Screen Guild Theater: May 24, 1943

Shadow of a Doubt(http://ia600400.us. archive.org/20/items/Lux09/Lux_44-01-03_Shadow_of_a_Doubt.

mp3) on Lux Radio Theater: January 3, 1944

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lux_Radio_Theaterhttp://ia600400.us.archive.org/20/items/Lux09/Lux_44-01-03_Shadow_of_a_Doubt.mp3http://ia600400.us.archive.org/20/items/Lux09/Lux_44-01-03_Shadow_of_a_Doubt.mp3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Screen_Guild_Theaterhttp://ia600508.us.archive.org/0/items/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_43-05-24_ep145_Shadow_of_a_Doubt.mp3http://ia600508.us.archive.org/0/items/ScreenGuildTheater/Sgt_43-05-24_ep145_Shadow_of_a_Doubt.mp3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rotten_Tomatoeshttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1018688-shadow_of_a_doubt/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Internet_Movie_Databasehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_American_Film_Institute_Catalog_of_Motion_Pictureshttp://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=657http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/shadow-of-a-doubt/Film?oid=2345510http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1018688-shadow_of_a_doubt/http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Step_Down_to_Terrorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Remake

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Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and ContributorsShadow of a Doubt Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=562348058 Contributors: 6afraidof7, Abato piscorum, Andrzejbanas, Anil1956, Artihcus022, Beao, Bede735, Before

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