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Alfred Hitchcock considered this 1943 thriller to be his personal favourite among his own films, and although it's not as popular as some of Hitchcock's later work, it's certainly worthy of the master's admiration. Scripted by playwright Thornton Wilder and inspired by the actual case of a 1920s serial killer known as "The Merry Widow Murderer," Shadow of a Doubt sets a tone of menace and fear by introducing a psychotic killer into the small-town comforts of Santa Rosa, California. That's where young Charlie (Teresa Wright) lives with her parents and two younger siblings, and where murder is little more than a topic of morbid conversation for their mystery-buff neighbour (Hume Cronyn). Charlie was named after her favourite uncle, who has just arrived for an extended visit, and at first Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) gets along famously with his admiring niece. But the film's chilling prologue has already revealed Uncle Charlie's true identity as the notorious Merry Widow Murderer, and the suspense grows almost unbearable when young Charlie's trust gives way to gradual dread and suspicion. Through narrow escapes and a climactic scene aboard a speeding train, this witty thriller strips away the fa ade of small-town tranquillity to reveal evil where it's least expected. And, of course, it's all done in pure Hitchcockian style. --Jeff Shannon
Special Features
1.33 Full Screen
DVD 5
German
English
English
Region 2
Mono English German
Mono
Beyond Doubt The Making Of Hitchcocks Favourite Film
Production Drawings
Art Gallery
Theatrical Trailer
Danish\Dutch\English\Finnish\German\Norwegian\Swedish
DVD 5
German
English
English
Region 2
Mono English German
Mono
Beyond Doubt The Making Of Hitchcocks Favourite Film
Production Drawings
Art Gallery
Theatrical Trailer
Danish\Dutch\English\Finnish\German\Norwegian\Swedish
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Shadow of a doubt lacks the big scenes and stars of other Hitch films, but that's the point. This was the first of his US films to look at small town life & relationships in America, and in the way it's done it steals a march on many family dramas, both of film noir & later styles, including Blue Velvet. The use of perspective in the film helps you get inside the head of young Charlie as she begins to understand the motives of her uncle Charlie(Joseph Cotten). Cotten, as ever was excellent in the natural way that Uncle Charlie at first seems, hiding out with the family. But as the movie progresses & he too begins to see his niece discover the dark past he really shines.Watch the scene with the car in the garage to see the depth in the piece.
This is not a horror film, but more shocking because the killer of the piece is for once someone's brother & uncle, not some deranged loner as in Thomas Harris. Yet the town & its inhabitants would not seem out of place in 'It's a Wonderful Life' with its apple pie concern for itself.
Hitchcock was duly proud of this work as it was looking into the Hardy family and cleverly twisting the values presented.
It seems difficult to imagine movies like Blue Velvet, or Badlands without this homage to small town America passed.
This is not a horror film, but more shocking because the killer of the piece is for once someone's brother & uncle, not some deranged loner as in Thomas Harris. Yet the town & its inhabitants would not seem out of place in 'It's a Wonderful Life' with its apple pie concern for itself.
Hitchcock was duly proud of this work as it was looking into the Hardy family and cleverly twisting the values presented.
It seems difficult to imagine movies like Blue Velvet, or Badlands without this homage to small town America passed.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
First things first, I need to justify giving Shadow of a Doubt 5 stars. Yes, it is in black and white, no it's not the best soundtrack from Hitchcock however it is a true cinematic spectacle and that is enough to give it this high rating.
The story is simple, about an apparently 'average family'. Hitch believed that he could make a film full of suspense out of any ordinary script, this could be considered to be true of SOAD. That is not to say that it is badly written or A dull or fantastic plot, the fact is, its likeability lies in the simplicity of the film's characters. The story is basically about a man on the run from the law who visits his sister and her family.
What I love about it is the change of our identification of the characters from the hero over to the heroine - from Charles to Charlie. Where the film differs from other films of the epoch is the director's skill. Unlike the two-dimensional techniques of some, by 1942 Hitch had begun to establish himself in Hollywood as a great director. His motif in SOAD is the shadows; using lighting and different camera angles to create a POV that not only shows what the characters see, but that also tell how the audience to feel.
A very well rounded film, and I genuinely mean this when i say - the film is perfectly cast. The male lead is a familiar face across the Hitchcockian canon, both lead females couldnt have been changed, and there is a subtle comedy that adds a delightful warmth to the movie with the Holmes and Watson-esque characters of the Father and his friend.
I refuse to talk about the films famous ending as even noting the smallest details would unravel the entire film. Perhaps the film is famous for being Hitch's favourite, for as it's final lines suggest the world 'needs a lot of watching' - a definition of cinema, just as this film is the definitive Hitchcock. A real pleasure to watch, that truly has stood the test of time.
The story is simple, about an apparently 'average family'. Hitch believed that he could make a film full of suspense out of any ordinary script, this could be considered to be true of SOAD. That is not to say that it is badly written or A dull or fantastic plot, the fact is, its likeability lies in the simplicity of the film's characters. The story is basically about a man on the run from the law who visits his sister and her family.
What I love about it is the change of our identification of the characters from the hero over to the heroine - from Charles to Charlie. Where the film differs from other films of the epoch is the director's skill. Unlike the two-dimensional techniques of some, by 1942 Hitch had begun to establish himself in Hollywood as a great director. His motif in SOAD is the shadows; using lighting and different camera angles to create a POV that not only shows what the characters see, but that also tell how the audience to feel.
A very well rounded film, and I genuinely mean this when i say - the film is perfectly cast. The male lead is a familiar face across the Hitchcockian canon, both lead females couldnt have been changed, and there is a subtle comedy that adds a delightful warmth to the movie with the Holmes and Watson-esque characters of the Father and his friend.
I refuse to talk about the films famous ending as even noting the smallest details would unravel the entire film. Perhaps the film is famous for being Hitch's favourite, for as it's final lines suggest the world 'needs a lot of watching' - a definition of cinema, just as this film is the definitive Hitchcock. A real pleasure to watch, that truly has stood the test of time.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
It may not be his "best" film, but Shadow Of A Doubt remains my favourite Hitchcock film. Some state, such as his daughter Patricia, that it was his favourite too, although in typical Hitch fashion he stated that that wasn't the case during his interviews with Francois Truffaut.
Joseph Cotton excels as Uncle Charlie, who's visit to a small suburban American town is intially welcomed with open arms by his neice Young Charlie (another superb performance by Teresa Wright) but soon takes a much darker turn as she comes to the realisation that he could be the merry widow murderer.
There are a number of suspense set-pieces to thrill, although casual viewers of the Hitchcock experience coming to this film for the first time might be surprised at the relatively sedate pace it has compared to his more well-known films. Some will also be surprised that there is little real doubt throughout the film that Uncle Charlie is guilty, but that doesn't drop the suspense, more adds numerous different layers to it.
It's perfectly written, perfectly acted and perfectly directed. It's a five star classic all the way.
Joseph Cotton excels as Uncle Charlie, who's visit to a small suburban American town is intially welcomed with open arms by his neice Young Charlie (another superb performance by Teresa Wright) but soon takes a much darker turn as she comes to the realisation that he could be the merry widow murderer.
There are a number of suspense set-pieces to thrill, although casual viewers of the Hitchcock experience coming to this film for the first time might be surprised at the relatively sedate pace it has compared to his more well-known films. Some will also be surprised that there is little real doubt throughout the film that Uncle Charlie is guilty, but that doesn't drop the suspense, more adds numerous different layers to it.
It's perfectly written, perfectly acted and perfectly directed. It's a five star classic all the way.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Not-So-Idyllic Family
Alfred Hitchcock's 1943 thriller Shadow Of A Doubt was one of his first films during his Hollywood period and, whilst it contains many great trademark Hitchcock touches, for me, it... Read more
Published 12 days ago by Keith M
Good B & W Film
Never seen this Hitchcock film before, thought give it a whirl. Rather enjoyable. Good script, good acting, good clean transfer to DVD, clear sound/picture.
Published 1 month ago by Ms. Nicola J. Booth
One of Hitchcock's finest
I have seen almost all of Hitchcock's Hollywood era films, and I thought this was one of the best ones. Hitchcock does a good job of creating a "Psychological plot", in this film. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Anon
quietly terrifying...
This was one of Hitchcock's favourite creations, and with good reason. This superbly crafted film focuses on the relationship between an uncle leading a double life, and his... Read more
Published 7 months ago by veggieface
Hitch's greatest psychological thriller
I watched this film in astonishment: not only does it have psychological depth that is in no other Hitchcock film, but the sense of dread in it builds slowly and inexorably to a... Read more
Published 9 months ago by rob crawford
shadow of a doubt
I first saw this movie a number of years ago and it was a grate story when I looked on the internet and saw it for sale I coulden't wait to see it again hitchcock at his best. Read more
Published 18 months ago by E. Clark
Good
The film starts with Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) being pursued by 2
detectives - Jack (MacDonald Carey) and Fred (Wallace Ford). Read more
detectives - Jack (MacDonald Carey) and Fred (Wallace Ford). Read more
Published on 2 July 2009 by Alex da Silva
Do you know the world is a foul sty?
One of Alfred Hitchcock's first American movies, 1943's Shadow of a Doubt is a great film in many respects, even though, to those more familiar with the director's later works, it... Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2009 by Matthew Mercy
The genial killing film maker is on his way to serial directing
Hitchcock is hatching in the US while the war is dragging along. He is building a tight little plot around a small criminal who gets into some serial killing of rich widows in New... Read more
Published on 27 Jan 2009 by Jacques COULARDEAU
a minor classic in Hitchcock's oeuvre
Yeah, "Shadow of a Doubt" is missing the moodiness of "Psycho", ambiguity of "The Birds", claustrophobia of "Rear Window", mystery of "Vertigo", vibrancy of "North by Northwest"... Read more
Published on 18 April 2008 by Serkan Silahsor
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