shadow of doubt movie 1935 parental guide

The Shadow of a Doubt production process started when Margaret McDonnell, the head of David Selznick’s story department, approached Hitchcock with the story. During a family dinner, Uncle Charlie lets his hatred for wealthy widows slip.

Her suspicions grow when she realizes the initials on the ring he gave her match the name of one of the murdered women. She quickly realizes that he is a detective, and Graham explains that her uncle is one of two suspects thought to be the “Merry Widow Murderer.” Charlie doesn’t believe her uncle could do such a thing but after observing his strange behaviors, she is mortified to realize that he could have murdered the women One of the interviewers, Jack Graham (Macdonald Carey), takes a liking to Charlie and asks her out. After one of the men takes Uncle Charlie’s photograph, he demands the film roll stating that no one takes his picture. Uncle Charlie isn’t too happy that her sister welcomed them into her home, and he berates her for it. Two men posing as national survey interviewers arrive at the Newton family residence. The kicker, he wants to deposit $40,000 as well. Joseph Newton (Henry Travers), Charlie’s father, works at a bank, and Uncle Charlie asks for his help to open an account. Uncle Charlie offers his niece an emerald ring that curiously bears the engravings of someone else’s initials. With two detectives hot on his heels, he takes shelter with his older sister Emma (Patricia Collinge). Charles Oakley (Joseph Cotton) who has run into some trouble in the city flees to Santa Rosa, California. The premise centers on Teresa Wright, cast as Charlie Newton, whose favorite uncle comes visiting. Shadow of a Doubt isn’t any different, and the 1943 psychological thriller received yet another stamp of approval in 1991 when the National Film Registry selected it for preservation. Alfred Hitchcock films have a reputation for earning critical acclaim and cementing their place on the list of cult-favorite productions.

Shadow of doubt movie 1935 parental guide