Shadow of a Doubt was released in 1943 and boy, is it a great film. It is one of those movies that feel complete without any plot holes while up until the very end you don't know what's going to happen. It stars Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten and it is one of the best Hitchcock films ever.
The film's protagonist is Charlotte 'Charlie' Newton, a young woman who is really bored with her life and wants a change. That's why she decides to send a telegram to her uncle and ask him to visit them. What she doesn't know, however, is that he has already sent a telegram himself saying that he's coming to see them.
Her uncle is Charlie Oakley, brother of her mother's and he is a very pleasant and gentle man. He is always cheerful and seems content with his life and very successful indeed.
From the very beginning, however, it is apparent that there's something more behind his calm exterior. If there wasn't anything, why would two men in suits follow him?
When Charlie visits his sister and her family, he starts acting strangely. He cuts a piece from the newspaper, wanting to hide something that he read, he also gives his niece a ring as a present, only the ring has some initials on it. When 'Charlie' sees them, he says that the jewellery shop must have made a mistake.
All this goes unnoticed by the family, until two men, who are supposedly sent by the government for a survey, visit the house and start asking questions about everyone and especially about uncle Charlie.
It is when uncle Charlie reacts aggressively to a picture the two men take, that Charlie the niece begins to suspect that something is wrong with her beloved uncle and thus she starts to investigate by herself.
She immediately goes to the library to see what the article in the newspaper was about and what she finds isn't reassuring at all. Could her uncle be a murdered? Or is it all a terrible misundertanding?
Alfred Hitchcock often said that this was his favourite film of his. This is also Teresa Wright's favourite film.
The title "Shadow of a Doubt" was used just as a temporary title for the film. When nothing better could be found, it became the official title.
In an interview with François Truffaut about "Shadow of a Doubt", Hitchcock said that the black smoke that belches from the train when uncle Charlie is coming is a symbol of imminent evil.
As for the name "Charlie" it is spoken approximately 170 times throughout the film.
Here is also a picture of the logo of Universal Pictures during the 40's:
Director's Cameo: Approximately 16 minutes into the film, Hitchcock is playing cards with a couple on the train. The man also tells him that he looks a little sick.
Memorable Quotes:
"Mothers don't lose daughters, remember? They gain sons"
Charlotte 'Charlie' Newton
" - Mrs. Henderson, do you believe in telepathy? - Well, I ought to. That's my business. - Not telegraphy. Telepathy. Like, well, suppose you have a thought, and suppose the thought's about someone you're in tune with, and then accross thousands of miles that person knows what you're thinking about and answers you, and it's all mental. - I don't know what you're talking about. I only send telegrams the normal way."
Mrs Henderson and Charlotte 'Charlie' Newton
0 σχόλια :
Post a Comment