Review of Shadow of a Doubt (1943) by Hatem A — 04 Feb 2011

3.5/4.0.

Considered as Hitchock's first masterpiece and a personal favorite of the director, "Shadow of a Doubt" feels like of the least Hitchcockian of the auteur's efforts possibly due to its insights into pre-War American suburban life thanks to its Santa Rosa, California setting.

Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotton) decides to visit his sister Emma (Patricia Collinge) and her family to the excitement of Charlie (Teresa Wright), his eldest and most favorite niece who is named after him. Uncle Charlie brings with him lavish gifts and over time she gets to feel something is fishy especially when they are visited by two supposed surveyors who turn out to be detectives (she knows of it after Det. Jack Graham played by Macdonald Carey takes her on a date). Turns out her beloved uncle is the wanted serial killer known as the "Merry Widow Murderer".

The tension really builds towards the second half of the movie when Charlie and her uncle turn confrontational. Cotton is good playing the sweet faced killer - you really feel he continues to deceive us until the very end of the film. It holds well after all these years - it is a clean, well and smoothly layered and constructed piece of cinema. "Shadow of a Doubt" is definitely a unique movie within Hitchcock's extensive resume but not one of his utmost best! Nominated for One Oscar: Best Writing, Original Story.