Review of Shadow of a Doubt (1943) by Kathleen D — 17 Jul 2008
What a movie! Its a classic thriller. The jist of it is this. A girl named Charlotte "Charlie" Newton is just a bored teenager with nothing exciting happening in her life and is wishing something would happen. You know that old saying "be careful what you wish for", well Chaolette learns that the hard way. Her and her family recieve news that her Uncle Charlie (who she is named after) comes to visit. At first she is happy, untill a federal detective comes to her and tells her that her uncle is the Merry Widow Murderer. She is shocked, but realizes this is true whan she pieces little clues together and when he finally confesses. The man tells Charolette that the other man whom they believe is the killere has died, and have called off the search. Uncle Charlie is happy to hear this, untill he remembers that his niece knows his secret, and she has some unfortunate accidents.
Uncle Charlie:
"You think you know something, don't you? You think you're the clever little girl who knows something. There's so much you don't know. So much. What do you know, really? You're just an ordinary little girl living in an ordinary little town. You wake up every morning of your life and you know perfectly well that there's nothing in the world to trouble you. You go through your ordinary little day and at night you sleep your untroubled, ordinary little sleep filled with peaceful, stupid dreams. And I brought you nightmares! Or did I, or was it a silly inexpert little lie. You live in a dream. You're a sleepwalker, blind. How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a foul sty? Do you know if you rip the fronts off houses you'd find swine? The world's a hell. What does it matter what happens in it? Wake up, Charlie! Use your wits. Learn something.".
A very dark movie with alot of symbolism. The dualities of good and evil in the film are exemplified by numerous pairs or doubles: some obvious (e.g., the two Charlies, the two detectives and government survey-takers, the two murder suspects, etc.), and some not so obvious (e.g., the two train scenes at Charlie's arrival and departure, the two conversations about perfect murder techniques between actors Travers and Cronyn, the 'Til Two bar where Charlie orders a double brandy, the two unsuccessful attempts on Charlie's life, Charlie's two schoolfriends, the two garage scenes, the two dinner-table scenes, etc.).
As I said, a classic. Deffinitely worth the watch.
This review of Shadow of a Doubt (1943) was written by Kathleen D on 17 Jul 2008.
Shadow of a Doubt has generally received very positive reviews.
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