Shadow of a doubt is a 1943 film directed by alfred hitchcock. Not only did the italianate victorianstyle abode appear in a hitchcock classic, the 1943 thriller shadow of a doubt, but in my favorite horror flick of all time, scream while the residence has also been credited with bringing about one of the best known horror movie costumes of all. Shadow of a doubt 1943 universal bluray, 2012 as part of the box set. Alfred hitchcock appears about 16 minutes into the film, on the train to santa rosa, playing bridge with a man and a woman dr. Shadow of a doubt a thriller, with teresa wright, joseph cotten, at rivoli tennessee johnson is at the astor. Written by thornton wilder, sally benson, and alma reville, the film was nominated for an academy award for best story for gordon mcdonell. Gallery of 55 movie poster and cover images for shadow of a doubt 1943. In 1991, the film was selected for preservation in the united states national film registry by the library of. Shadow of a doubt is a 1943 suspense film directed by alfred hitchcock. There was more to shadow of a doubt than proallied sentiment, of course, but critics, such as the perpetually sniffy bosley crowther of the new york times, often dismissed any hint of sociopolitical commentary, crowther going so far as to say the potentially antisocial moral of the film was its only flaw. Sitting on a quiet corner on an idyllic street in santa rosa is a home with quite a scary movie pedigree. Shadow of a doubt is a 1943 american psychological thriller film noir directed by alfred hitchcock, and starring teresa wright and joseph cotten.
But as with many foreign filmmakers who came to the us, hitchcock soon evinced his fascination for the peculiarities of american culture, particularly with his shadow of a doubt 1943, the shooting for which was begun in the latter part of 1941. But hitchcock confirmed that shadow of a doubt was his favorite in an interview with talk show host dick cavett in 1972. Shadow of a doubt 1943 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Alfred hitchcock in shadow of a doubt 1943 joseph cotten and macdonald carey in shadow of a doubt 1943. Teenager charlie idolises her uncle charlie, who always seem incredibly glamorous and exciting but is he also a serial killer. Its somewhat surprising, some would even say remarkable, that at this very point in history hollywood produced a film like this, as it portrays a typical american small town. Shadow of a doubt jbfc edu jacob burns film center. Shadow of a doubt, hitchcocks 1943 thriller, is one of the more esoteric mysteries in his oeuvre often overshadowed pun quasiintended by its surface story of a young girl and her uncle.
One of hitchcocks favorite subjects was the innocent man wrongly accused. Hitchcocks cameo comes relatively early in the film he is playing bridge with a man and a woman on the train to santa rosa. As one can see the director is holding a full suit of spades, the best hand possible. The film fascinates throughout, but critics seems to overlook a number of plot imperfections that give me much more than a shadow of a doubt that this is hitchcocks most brilliant film as some.
Alfred hitchcocks 1943 film, shadow of a doubt, was one of the directors personal favorites, and its easy to see why. Cast and crew credits for shadow of a doubt, 1943, directed by alfred hitchcock, with teresa wright, joseph cotten, macdonald carey, at turner classic movies. Shadow of a doubt 1943 hitchcocks cameo appearances in. Complete cast and crew list for shadow of a doubt 1943 from the internet movie database. Apparently alfred hitchcock found shadow of a doubt to be his favorite of all the flicks he directed. Lensed on location in santa rosa, california, the shadow of a doubt was alfred hitchcock s favorite film. Shadow of a doubt disambiguation jump to navigation jump to search. Young charlie teresa wright wants a miracle to get her family out of poverty, and believes her savior is her namesake, uncle charlie joseph cotten. Shadow of a doubt 1943 was director alfred hitchcocks favorite of his own films. Shes not sexy or dangerous like ingrid bergman in notorious or a cool, detached blonde in the grace kelly vein. Shadow of a doubt is a 1943 film noir about a young woman who thinks her uncle, for whom she is named, may be a serial killer. Alfred hitchcocks shadow of a doubt alfred hitchcock has exploited our fear of heights and made us afraid to take a shower, but in his own personal favourite film. Shadow of a doubt 1943 complete cast and crew the alfred. Cynicism underlies all the proceedings, from young charlies miraculous summoning of her uncle charlie.
Its clear from the outset that uncle charlie joseph cotten is the notorious merry widow killer, and more than once hitchcock cuts to nightmarish fantasies of presumably merry widows waltzing. Filmed primarily on location in santa rosa, california, shadow of a doubt is often regarded as hitchcocks. Shadow of a doubt 1943 ending spoiler movie mistakes. The newtons eldest daughter, young charlie, decides that things need brightening up and resolves to contact her uncle charlie. The newton family lead a quiet life in the north california town of santa rosa.
Written by thornton wilder, sally benson, and alma reville, based on a story by gordon mcdonell. The masterpiece collection universal bluray, 2012 dvd releases. Arguably alfred hitchcocks best film and teresa wrights best performance, shadow of a doubt 1943 is a lowkey thriller about a murderer who comes to live with his sisters family in peaceful, quiet santa rosa in an effort to elude the police, and his young niece who finds him out. At face value, shadow of a doubt appears to be missing many classic features of early film noir such as a femme fatale or. Wilder had written our town put on film in 1940, a story about grovers corners another small town in new england. One of hitchcocks best films of the 1940s, shadow of a doubt is both a fascinating psychological case study and a scathing portrait of the american middleclass family. The film is often considered one of hitchcocks darkest, and the director himself reportedly claimed it as his favorite. Rakish uncle charlie assuredly smokes a cigarette in his apartment while two lawmen wait to question him in the deaths of wealthy widows.
During his cameo in this psychological thriller hitchcock is seen playing bridge. Joseph cotten, teresa wright and macdonald carey in shadow of a doubt. Charlie is tired of smalltown life with her parents and annoying younger sister. Shadow of a doubt begins with the universal globe, since like saboteur this is a project made on loanout to the free and easy jack skirball from the rigorous selznick, and its brilliance should be enough to gainsay the suggestion that hitchcock needed selznicks supervision to. Hitchcock draws out your fear for this small california town familys safety as they attempt to survive uncle charlie, who they do not even know is a serial killer. A young woman discovers her visiting uncle may not be the man he seems to be. Shadow of a doubt is a 1943 thriller directed by alfred hitchcock and written by thornton wilder, sally benson, and alma reville. A smartly conceived, wellacted tale about a niece who suspects her uncle of murder, shadow of a doubt is a masterpiece of suspense.
Teresa wright is his niece, also called charlie, who idolizes himuntil the agents hunting uncle charlie reveal to her who her uncle really is. Shadow of a doubt, american thriller film, released in 1943, that alfred. Charlie teresa wright, in shadow of a doubt 1943 16. In the following pages, i will examine shadow of a doubt 1943 as registering a crucial moment in the process of hitchcocks americanization. In shadow of a doubt, theres no possibility of innocence. Alfred hitchcock shifted to the us to make films in 1939, but his earliest americanmade films still had mostly english settings. Hitchcock made this chiller all the more frightening by having his crafty homicidal maniac intrude into the tranquility of a warm. The majority of the problems came from print defects. Shadow of a doubt is one movie that goes against the standard idea of hollywood romance.
It was remade as step down to terror in 1958 and as a tv movie in 1991. Shadow of a doubt a thriller, with teresa wright, joseph. The casting, from stars to bit players, is impeccable. Shadow of a doubt film by hitchcock 1943 britannica. One of the most subversive films alfred hitchcock ever made is a disquieting little masterpiece called shadow of a doubt that was brought to life back in 1943, in the very midst of the second world war. Though much of the movie looked fine, a mix of concerns made this a fairly average transfer. Fanmade trailer for the film shadow of a doubt directed by alfred hitchcock. I dont think quite so highly of it, but i like it nonetheless. With teresa wright, joseph cotten, macdonald carey, henry travers. Patricia collinge, who plays emma newton in the film. Look up shadow of a doubt in wiktionary, the free dictionary. We first see charlie lying on top of his bed, smoking a cigar. Even though many classics from this period exist such as this gun for hire 1942 or the maltese falcon 1941, they do not challenge the idea of what film noir is like alfred hitchcocks shadow of a doubt 1943. In 1942 cronyn married tandy, and the couple first performed.
Ive always felt that teresa wright was an odd leading lady for a hitchcock film. A bored teen living in santa rosa, california, charlotte charlie newton, is frustrated because nothing seems to be happening in her life and that of her family. Director alfred hitchcock is possibly most famous for psycho but this brilliant but lesser known film is just as shocking in its way. I would have assumed it was north by northwest 1959 because cary grant was his favorite actor to work with. No one would ever accuse alfred hitchcocks shadow of a doubt of being plausible, but it is framed. Joseph cotten stars as charlie, a serial killer on the run who comes back to his hometown of santa rosa, california to hide from the police. Alfred hitchcocks suspense thriller shadow of a doubt 1943 is a visceral and frightening depiction of a mass murderer on the run. Shadow of a doubt trailer 1943 alfred hitchcock youtube. Shadow of a doubt may or may not be hitchcocks greatest film, but its. Screenplay by thornton wilder, sally benson, alma reville, based on the story by gordon mcdonell. We asked members of the the guardian film community to tell us about their preferred films from the master of suspense. Shadow of a doubt or shadow of doubt may also refer to.
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