Shadow of a Doubt

Pros: Typical Hitchcock suspense and direction
Cons: Not his most suspenseful

Director Alfred Hitchcock was quoted as saying that Shadow of a Doubt was his favorite among his own movies. It was released in 1943 and was based on the case of the real-life "Merry Widow Murderer," Earle Leonard Nelson, a mass strangler of the 1920s. ...

Pros: Engrossing story and kept me intrigued
Cons: Slow start; romantic sub-plot

For someone who has seen very few Hitchcock films, you might wonder why this one was such a high priority for me since it's not as well known as some of his others. There's a simple explanation for my interest, however. This movie is set and filmed in ...

Pros: Joseph Cotten , Teresa Wright, Hume Cronyn, the story, and impeccable Hitchcock direction
Cons: Nothing at all

Hitch often said that Shadow of a Doubt was his favorite movie. I can easily understand why. Because this is at heart, what Hitchcock was all about, the essence of his thrill for all audiences. It was the simple ability he had of making the...

Pros: The best Hitchcock suspense film ever
Cons: Cons? Don't make me laugh

All small towns are basically the same. The mothers wear pearls and high heels, the kids get good grades, the houses have sprinklers on the lawn. And, there's always a dirty little secret involving murder or sex. It's the American way.


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Pros: Hitchcock at his best, Cotten at his best, Wright at her best -- can't miss!
Cons: Hitchcock's complete Spade suit in the card game -- come on now!!!

Shadow of a Doubt was a big thing for Santa Rosa in 1943. I was living in Oakland, and remember the family piling into the family car with its "A" gas ration sticker in the windshield to burn up some precious gas to make the trip (a real outing...

Pros: Joseph Cotton, Hume Cronyn, musical score, nearly everything else
Cons: a little too long, the romance angle

Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt, a film celebrated as one of his best motion picture projects made in America, had its origins in the killing spree of the true ‘Merry Widow’ murderer Earle Leonard Nelson. Nelson murdered twenty people, ...

Pros: Performances, direction, cinematography, quirky humour, memorable characters
Cons: tacked-on romance

OK, so Jane Wyman and Teresa Wright are old enough to be my great grandparents, but for those of you who have read some of my reviews, you'll probably realise that these two, along with Annabeth Gish (it's not too late! Get a divorce!) show that I tend ...

Pros: Joseph Cotten is outstanding! Great cinematography. Brilliant script! Wonderful supporting cast.
Cons: A tad too long

The filming of “Shadow of a Doubt” came during a prolonged low point in Hitchcock’s early Hollywood career. For almost five years running prior to this 1943 release, “Hitch” had been mercilessly and cruelly tormented by independent ...

Pros: cast, suspense, direction, cinematography
Cons: humor, characters, romance

"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...

Pros: good performances, excellent story, tension throughout
Cons: some long family scenes which may bore some viewers

When people talk about Alfred Hitchcock's greatest movies, they often mention "Psycho", "North By Northwest" or "Vertigo", but the lesser known "Shadow of a Doubt" is also the master at his best. He builds up an...