When people start discussing the greatest directors of all time, one name certain to be mentioned is Alfred Hitchcock. Most directors of modern suspense/thriller films owe a great deal to him because his influence is still felt to this day. But even the "Master of Suspense" has a film or two that falls between the cracks and is never given the spotlight it should. Shadow of a Doubt is one of those films. Charlie Newton is waiting for something to spice up her life and save her from the boredom of suburbia. There is not much for a teenage girl like Charlie to do in a small town but her prayers are soon answered when her favorite relative Uncle Charlie (for whom she was named) decides to visit. Everything seems wonderful until Uncle Charlie begins acting strange and young Charlie starts to suspect he is hiding something.
As with most of director Alfred Hitchcock’s better films, Shadow of a Doubt was a suspenseful thriller with a great story, memorable characters, and just enough black humor to keep it from being too dark and gloomy. Teresa Wright played young Charlie as an intelligent, resourceful girl. She started off the film as an innocent teenager wanting to experience more than her mundane suburban life could offer but by the end, thanks to the unbelievable stress and drama the whole ordeal with Uncle Charlie caused, she had matured and learned that her little suburban life was not all that bad. Uncle Charlie, played by Joseph Cotten, was the opposite of his niece. Having grown up almost completely alone and in the big city, he saw the world as an ugly place. And in order to make his way through the world, he was willing to do just about anything. He could be kind and giving one minute but then nasty and hateful the next. Due to Cotton’s excellent performance, it was hard to tell if he was a man on the lam or a quiet, misunderstood gentleman. This hidden gem amongst the vast canon of Hitchcock films, is not to be missed.
Grade: A
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