Alfred Hitchcock's -Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Hitch often said that Shadow of a Doubt was his favorite movie. I can easily understand why. Because this is at heart, what Hitchcock was all about, the essence of his thrill for all audiences. It was the simple ability he had of making the possibility of something become as terrifying as any sensational fact. It was his instinct, artistry and humor , combined in a defining talent of the master of suspense, to be able to touch us where we live. One never needed explicit scenes like the shower scene in Psycho, or the Bird attack in The Birds, to be truly terrified, because the biggest scare is that the worst that can happen at any given time, does not come from such exotic sources, but from ourselves, our friends, or in this case, from our family!

So Hitchcock, this time, leaves old England behind, and invades small town America. This is not his first American film, rather it was his fifth, but it was the first where the particular setting of the story became a definite plot element. It was important that the story be set in a small town in America, that the values of the people be American, with the combined qualities and naivete , trust and courage. For one thing, (and this is just logic speaking), in couldn’t have been set any place where bombs were falling nightly. And it could not have been set anywhere more urbane. It needed to be a sleepy little town where nothing happened.

In a way, this movie more than any other, shows that Hitchcock was glad of his surroundings and was in tune with the nature of his adopted country and its people. He saw the good and the bad, but only makes fun of the weaknesses in a gentle mocking way. And you have only to see the quality of the hero of this story, ( Hitchcock’s FAVORITE heroes were all bright young women, by the way,) a bright young girl, to know that this is true.

That American audiences saw this as Hitchcock intended I have no doubt. Years ago, my mother told me of a movie, where this story was played out, and she said it was one of the scariest she remembered seeing when she was young (she was 21 at the time) and only later did we both realize it was THIS movie.

FILM ELEMENTS


The STORY

Writing credits go to Gordon McDonald, who adapted the story written by Thornton Wilder, and credit again is given to Alma. In addition, Patricia Collinge, one of the performers , wrote a particularly memorable scene. The story had all the elements written in, and Hitchcock told the story in this film. The town of Santa Rosa, where the movie was filmed, used many locals in bit parts, and its’ prime attraction to Hitchcock was the fact that it was situated in the middle of California’s wine country.

Essentially the story is about the death of innocence, told with unforgettable characters and images.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

The cinematography is as usual, brilliant, and the scenes at times hair-raising. But there are no fantastic tricks, just scenes that are set with consummate care to give us the true flavor of the characters in the story we are about to witness. In the very first scene, the audience is given intimate awareness of the protagonist of this film, who happens to be the villain, Uncle Charlie. We know who he is, and it is the essence of the story that his family does not know who he is or what he has done. We are also given other information, carefully laid before the viewer.

Uncle Charlie is in a boarding house. His landlady has no idea that this quiet good looking man has any real reason to be talking to the police, as she makes excises while he lays quietly in bed, pleading illness. He is drinking steadily, something the landlady does not see. And then he peers out the window, looking down on the police. He throws his drink against the wall, breaking the glass. It is no accident that the police are small, and look like toy people from that distance. As he escapes, in a long shot, we have no question that he is running from something, and that he is guilty. Also, we get a bird’s eye view of the tawdry ruin down urban environment in which he has been living.

Other memorable scenes set for us occur in the public library, when Charlie discovers the awful truth about her Uncle, and in a recurring scene of couples dancing, (significantly to the Merry Widow’s Waltz) that harkens back to the innocent youth of the brother and sister, as well as serves a symbolic representation of the nature of the Uncle Charlie’s crimes. It was brilliant. The dancing scene is given to us gratis, as a tie in for all the clues we may have been foolish enough to miss.

MUSIC

The original music was contributed by Dmitri Tiomkin, a prolific and very busy composer used in that period. He brought some real elegance to this marvelous movie, and his music is always on target, always perfectly tailored to the action and the intent.


HUMOR

Most of the humor of this piece occurs in the family setting, in the family that Uncle Charlie invades. It is for the most part, just a typical family doing typical family things. There is the almost standard too smart little bookworm of a girl, wearing glasses, and having an opinion about everything, the father, who is the essence of stability and gentle family values, the mother, who is a wonderful mother, but who looks back on the days of her more romantic youth. There is a little brother, who has very little to do with this story, and most of all, the family friend, Herbie, who adds the bulk of the comforting humor we as the audience need to get through this disturbingly possible scenario.

Herbie and the father in the family belong to a book club, more specifically, to a crime story book club. They spend a lot of time in (innocently , running an unknown parallel to reality), discussing ways to kill each other and get away with it. It is more than funny, it is hilarious.



THE PLOT

Charlie Newton has just graduated from school, and is suffering frm small town blues. She thinks her family needs something, anything to add a little spice to their lives. As if in answer to her wishes for boredom relief, who should turn up, but Uncle Charlie. Charlie is handsome, mysterious, has money and has been around the world.

The family’s response is immediate, and everyone, except possibly for the book- reading younger sister, seems thrilled with Uncle Charlie. He gives them expensive presents, and he is going to deposit a lot of money in the bank where the father works. Most of all, it is the Mother, Charlie’s sister, and Charlie, who was named for this Uncle, who are thrilled. Emma feels younger, and is taken back to a time when people went to dances and she was the belle of the ball. Charlie is just intrigued with her Uncle Charlie, who she feels is closest to her, most of all.

Charlie starts to notice little things. At first, she sees that Uncle Charlie has taken part of the newspaper away, and she teases him about it. The beautiful ring she has received as a gift, has other initials engraved in it. And then, two guys show up asking questions.

The story takes off from here ion some terrifying directions. It could end in many ways. I’ll leave you to discover them.


THE CAST


Teresa Wright as Young Charlie-Teresa had won an Oscar the year before in a supporting role in the Little Foxes. She was nominated for three other Academy Awards, all in 1942. This was a wonderful role for a young actress, and she played it marvelously. Her last role was as Mrs Birdie in the Rainmaker. The conflict in this piece is all about her, and her trust, which is broken, and her innocence, which is lost. She is torn by her love of her family, and her Uncle Charlie, and her increasing awareness that he is not as he seems. Outstanding performance!


Joseph Cotten as Uncle Charlie-the protagonist/villain/hero. This is a multifaceted character, and Cotten plays it with finesse. He had at times been a radio actor (with Orson Welles) and is probably best remembered in Citizen Kane as the best friend of the main character. But he was an outstanding actor, whose voice is itself, practically a character in any movie he made. His character is remarkably sympathetic, and for much of the movie you hope he finds refuge in the bosom of his family. He is MOST menacing when he speaks softly. Chilling in fact.An unforgettable performance.

Macdonald Carey as Detective Jack Graham-he is the love interest for young Charlie, and the detective out to get his man. He was actually, not a very memorable character here, although he was cute. Cotten and Wright carry the show here, he is not much more than a necessary character element. He is probably best known for his long standing role in Days of Our Lives.


Henry Travers as Joseph Newton the father, whose character is solid, a little bit distant, and very believable. He is a man who is not wealthy, but works hard. To his credit, he is not jealous of his successful brother in law, he is happy for his family being happy. But there is also a sense that he knows better than to say anything to his romantically happy wife about her baby brother. You will remember him better in a later role as the Guardian Angel in It’s a Wonderful Life.

Patricia Collinge as Emma Newton-This actress had played with Wright in the Little Foxes, and she was wonderful as the romantic , hard working mother, who nostalgically remembers other days, of romance and dancing, and a little brother who had a head injury. Even when faced with clues, she would deny them. She is the priceless heart that Charlie and Uncle Charlie both touch, and Charlie wants desperately to protect. This was an excellent performance. She also wrote a scene in the movie.

Hume Cronyn as Herbie Hawkins-This is Cronyn’s first role as the friend, and he plays a man much older than the young actor. It is a tribute to his ability that he became such a funny character, and was so believable. Cronyn wrote, directed and acted for the stage before his film debut, and worked with Hitch on two other scripts. Great performance!

Wallace Ford as Fred Saunders-This actor had been a leading man type in the thirties, but he is barely in the cast here.

Edna May Wonacott as Ann Newton-this is the little girl who never smiles, reads all the time, and knows everything. We have seen this character before, and Pat Hitchcock said she coached her in her lines. She was funny, but not cute.

Charles Bates as Roger Newton-This character says practically nothing, and was seen but not heard, a common directive to children in the forties, which his sister appears not to have ever followed.


FINAL RECOMMENDATION

This is one of the best Hitchcock thrillers, with a great story, and excellent performances by Cotten and Wright. They don’t make movies like this anymore. Even Hitchcock never made another that fit together as perfectly as this film.