Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

I've been trying to watch more Hitchcock recently. Some of his films are absolute favorites of mine that I watch annually (The Birds, Psycho, Rear Window), others are also undeniably great (Vertigo, North by Northwest, Dial M for Murder), and some I've had just a "meh" reaction to (Suspicion, To Catch a Thief). The other night Craig suggested we watch Shadow of a Doubt, one of those films whose title I of course was familiar with but hadn't seen for some reason or other. And I kinda loved it.

Shadow of a Doubt is about a sweet family whose Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) comes to stay with them, trailed by two mysterious men. He's deliberately vague about his sudden arrival or what he's been up to, and his beloved niece Charlie (Teresa Wright) begins to notice his oddly secretive and sinister behavior.

I love the tension in this film. Hitch was so good at creating tension...it's obvious in this film (his personal favorite) that he was a master at it. He also had a great sense of humor, juxtaposing Joseph Cotten's foreboding presence with young Charlie's father and his friend gleefully discussing hypothetical situations in which they murder each other. An eerie waltz connects the scenes, the two Charlies have an almost incestuous chemistry. She loves him but she's afraid of him...this film is DARK. Oh Hitchcock, you did it again!

If you're a Hitchcock fan and you haven't seen this one, get on it! Hitch's trademarks are all here, and I highly recommend you give yourself an evening to enjoy it!