7/16/18 Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt is a Hitchcock from his early American period. In 1940, David O Selznick brought Hitchcock to Hollywood to make Rebecca. Hitchcock's early American movies show distinctive american sensibility that only a foreigner can portray. None so much as Shadow of a Doubt where the scene is small town America. Uncle Charlie visits his home town from the big city. He is the favorite uncle of his niece who is also named Charlie. Young Charlie is a teenage girl who is finding small town America is becoming too dull for her. This is contrasted with Uncle Charlie who finds small towns comforting. He talks about this at dinner and his tone becomes sort of sinister. The Question become whether Uncle Charlie is actually the Merry Widow Murderer that the police are looking. Maybe it is all talk. just like young charlie's father and friend who are always trying to plan the ultimate murder.