If there was ever to be a Mount Rushmore of film directors it would be a very safe bet to assume Alfred Hitchcock would be on there. He is one of the undoubted legends of film direction and he is fully deserving of the legend label. His list of classic films is pretty much endless, with 'Psycho (1960), 'North by North West' (1959), 'Vertigo' (1957) and 'Rear Window' (1954) just being a handful. All of these are considered by many as works of genius, and this genius can be seen over a decade earlier in Hitchcock's 'Shadow of a Doubt' (1943). It is a superb film, filled with brilliant acting, an engaging and suspenseful story and, of course, brilliant direction. The film follows the Newton family who reside in the small, gentile California town of Santa Rosa. The eldest daughter, Charlie (Teresa Wright), is tired of feeling as though she belongs to an average family stuck in a boring routine, so she is very excited to hear that her mysterious Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten), who she is named after, is coming to visit. Charlie is charismatic and lives an exciting, if secret life and soon the whole town is sold on his charisma. However, when a couple of detectives approach Charlie, as they believe that her Uncle is a criminal, she starts to notice his suspicious behaviour and questions whether he is the man that she believed him to be.
Seeing that we are talking about Hitchcock I would be pretty remiss to not talk about the suspense within the film, but it does not come in the way you would suspect. Often times in a film with a narrative such as this one the suspense comes in the not knowing if the suspicious character is guilty of the crimes he is being accused of, but Hitchcock doesn't do that here. What this film does is let you know he is guilty from the very start. From the very first scene we know that Uncle Charlie is a criminal, even if we are not sure what his crimes are. Therefore, the suspense comes from us knowing more than our hero and being worried for her safety as she gets deeper down the rabbit hole. I feel like this is the more effective way of creating suspense as it allows us to see how Uncle Charlie goes about trying to hide his crimes and also see when he slips up. It makes the narrative much more engaging and you grip your chair when Charlie is interacting with her Uncle, blissfully unaware of his crimes. The direction is also fantastic in not only creating suspense but adding to the emotional depth of scenes. I could go into all of these and get all film studies student on you but I am not here to write an essay so I will spare you. But it is undeniable that the direction in this film is superb, and you can see many of the Hitchcock trademarks and motifs that you come to see in all of his films moving forward. There never seems to be a wasted shot in the film. Every frame seems to have a purpose to advance the narrative and create deeper and more complex characters. This might be unsurprising as it is a Hitchcock film, but it is still important to point out just how well this film is directed.
The film is also very well acted. The acting style may not be like it is today, with everything being a bit less subtle, but that was the style of the time and everyone manages to work this style brilliantly. Henry Travers and Patricia Collinge are both good as Joseph Newton and Emma Newton respectively, with both actors portraying very average, run of the mill Americans with ease and professionalism. Neither steal the show, but they are both good in creating an almost gullible, turn a blind eye kind of atmosphere within the film to offset Teresa Wright's more suspicious and inquisitive characteristics. MacDonald Carey is good as the young detective, Jack Graham, being both charming and having an air of professionalism and wit about him. A special mention as well goes to Hume Cronyn who plays the very odd Herbie Hawkins. Herbie is an awkward and shy character who takes great delight in discussing how he would murder Joseph Newton, and Cronyn manages to give a performance which captures this brilliantly and is very memorable, especially for being a bit part character. I have already mentioned Teresa Wright being able to portray an air of suspicion and inquisitiveness, but the true brilliance in her performance comes in the conflict that she portrays in the character. She is torn between her love and adoration for her Uncle, whilst also knowing that he may be a hardened criminal and she portrays this conflict superbly. The star of the show, however, is undoubtedly Joseph Cotten as Uncle Charlie. He is brilliant in this film, managing to be both the most charming and charismatic person on screen, as well as the most threatening and intimidating. His ability to switch from suave and alluring to cold and unnerving on a dime is incredible and he holds your attention whenever he is on screen. It is a genuinely superb performance and stands up there as one of my favourites in Hitchcock films.
'Shadow of a Doubt' is one of many Hitchcock masterpieces and you would be hard pressed to find someone who would disagree with you. It is a film that is directed masterfully, has an engaging and clever narrative and is also filled with good performances, as well as a simply terrific performance from Joseph Cotten. It is also a film which really does cement Hitchcock as the 'Master of Suspense', with the suspense being administered in a smart and entertaining way. It may not be the best of the best when it comes to Hitchcock, but it is definitely a contender and that is no mere feat when it comes to Hitchcock films. If you haven't seen it already I absolutely urge you to seek it out and give it a watch. If it is not your first foray into the work of Hitchcock then you will not be disappointed, and if it is your first time experiencing the 'Master of Suspense' then you are in for a real treat.