Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

"Shadow of a Doubt" is a suspense thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film stars Joseph Cotten as a bitter man who has strangled several widows for their fortunes, and Theresa Wright as his niece, who is unaware of his crimes and worships him. When Cotten pays an extended visit to Wright's family, his curious behavior as well as visits from detectives lead Wright to realize that he is a murderer, putting her own life in jeopardy.

"Shadow of a Doubt" is a good film despite many nagging problems. It benefits from an excellent cast and an intelligent script. Most of the problems arise from character development and plot, and while each taken separately are minor, they combine to keep the film from being one of Hitchcock's best.

Detectives track Cotten to Wright's home. They go
to much trouble and waste much time to obtain
Cotten's photograph on the pretext of a magazine
article. They want to detain Cotten for
questioning, but they don't want to upset
Wright's mother, so they wait until Wright can
convince Cotten to leave town. These detectives
are the nicest and most inoffensive in screen
history, and I don't understand how a murderer's
freedom of movement is a secondary consideration
to his sister's temporary emotional state.

Hume Cronyn and Wright's father enjoy
conversations about the best ways that one could
murder the other. The film does need comic
relief, but the droll British humor doesn't cross
over well to this side of the Atlantic. Hitchcock
didn't learn this lesson, as he would later make
an entire film with this style, "The Trouble With
Harry."

Presumably, Cotten went to visit his sister to
escape detectives. You would think he would keep
a low profile and remain pleasant, but instead he
launches into diatribes against wealthy widows
and loudly suggests at the bank that his
brother-in-law is an embezzler. He is also fond
of bragging of his wealth. Spoiler alert!
You've been warned!

Eventually, Wright realizes that Cotten is
guilty. He all but confesses to her. Later, he
makes two nearly successful attempts at her life.
Still, she says nothing about this to the
detective, even though he is courting her. She
even agrees to get on the train with Cotten,
where, of course, he makes a third attempt on her
life. Despite being half his size, she manages to
outwrestle him on the train.

Since it is revealed in the opening scenes that
Cotten is guilty, the suspense comes from
Wright's relationship with him: will she discover
his crimes, then, will he succeed in killing her.
It is inconceivable that Wright would not figure
things out, and also inconceivable that she would
be murdered. The suspense seems manufactured in
scenes such as Wright rushing to the library
before it closes, as if the library would not be
open the next day.

One final, minor complaint. Does every film have
to have a romance? This is a movie about Cotten
and Wright, and a romance between Wright and a
detective (who presumably is many years older
than her) seems an unnecessary addition.
Hitchcock is held to a high standard, and that is
the standard I judge his films by. "Shadow of a
Doubt" remains a good and interesting film, but
he has made many that are better. (66/100)