Given Crowther’s tendency to praise films that upheld the social status quo, it’s likely that he was irked at the film addressing the expansion of women’s lives beyond the role of homemaker. There was more to Shadow of a Doubt than pro-Allied sentiment, of course, but critics, such as the perpetually sniffy Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, often dismissed any hint of sociopolitical commentary, Crowther going so far as to say the potentially “anti-social” moral of the film was its only flaw. Hitch catered to wartime sentiment, slowly escalating the reminders of the war from only few at the beginning of the film, usually accompanying Uncle Charlie’s vague anti-government beliefs, to a third act absolutely packed with extras in uniforms and War Bonds signs. Many critics in the UK felt the film was the first to show Hitchcock had finally settled into his new American artistic life, while American critics fell toward praising its wartime message of being cautious of slick evildoers hiding in plain sight. Soon it becomes clear that Uncle Charlie has a terrifying secret, and young Charlie finds herself in danger as she pieces together the truth about her uncle’s life.ĭirector Alfred Hitchcock often said that Shadow of a Doubt was his favorite of all his own films, and it must have pleased him greatly to receive such positive reviews on its release. Uncle Charlie is well-loved, his sister Emma (Patricia Collinge) having doted on him as a child, his niece Charlie idolizing him, and the entire small town of Santa Rosa impressed with his charm and business acumen. Unbeknownst to her, at the same time, her uncle Charlie Oakley (Joseph Cotten) is heading straight for her in the quiet town of Santa Rosa, California. She decides Uncle Charlie was just the one to shake everything up and fix their problems.
Check out their blog today for all the great entries - and Happy Halloween, everyone!Ĭharlie Newton (Theresa Wright) has decided in a fit of late-teen pique that her family life needs some shaking up, that the small-town drudgery - and her father caring more about money than souls - was hurting them all. This is the SBBN entry for the Hitchcock Halloween Blogathon, hosted by Backlots.
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