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Staring: Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, Macdonald Carey, Henry Travers, Patricia Collinge
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
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Product Details
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Universal Studios
EAN: 0025192831324
Format: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, NTSC
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Universal Studios
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2006-02-07
Running Time: 108
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: 1943

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Editorial Review
Product Description
The Newton family lead a quiet life in the North California town of Santa Rosa. The Newton's eldest daughter 'young Charlie' decides that things need brightening up and resolves to contact her Uncle Charlie (after whom she is named) and invite him to stay. On arrival at the telegraph office she discovers he is already on his way. However Uncle Charlie is being pursued by a couple of detectives who suspect him of being "The Merry Widow Murderer" an evil strangler wanted in connection with the deaths of several rich East coast widows.System Requirements:Features: Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film Production Drawings by Art Director Robert Boyle Production Photographs Theatrical Trailer Production Notes Running Time: 118 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLERS Rating: PG UPC: 025192831324 Manufacturer No: 28313

Amazon.com essential video
Alfred Hitchcock considered this 1943 thriller to be his personal favorite among his own films, and although it's not as popular as some of Hitchcock's later work, it's certainly worthy of the master's admiration. Scripted by playwright Thornton Wilder and inspired by the actual case of a 1920's serial killer known as "The Merry Widow Murderer," the movie sets a tone of menace and fear by introducing a psychotic killer into the small-town comforts of Santa Rosa, California. That's where young Charlie (Teresa Wright) lives with her parents and two younger siblings, and where murder is little more than a topic of morbid conversation for their mystery-buff neighbor (Hume Cronyn). Charlie was named after her favorite uncle, who has just arrived for an extended visit, and at first Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) gets along famously with his admiring niece. But the film's chilling prologue has already revealed Uncle Charlie's true identity as the notorious Merry Widow Murderer, and the suspense grows almost unbearable when young Charlie's trust gives way to gradual dread and suspicion. Through narrow escapes and a climactic scene aboard a speeding train, this witty thriller strips away the façade of small-town tranquility to reveal evil where it's least expected. And, of course, it's all done in pure Hitchcockian style. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

One of my favorite Hitchcock films, 2010-01-02
I'm a huge Hitchcock fan and I've always wondered why you don't hear as much about this movie as some of his others. It lacks the glamour quotient of, say, north by Northwest or It Takes a Thief, which may have something to do with it. But Hitchcock's at his best when he's layering trait upon trait in a character and slipping little "tells" into the story, and he's superb at that here.

The story's simple: A black sheep uncle settles down with his sister's family in a small California town, much to the joy of his teenage niece. Soon, though, she begins to notice something odd about her beloved Uncle Charlie. Hitchcock never makes the mistake of too much information, and tosses cliffhanger after cliffhanger into the final 30 minutes.

If you collect Hitchcock, this one definitely belongs in your collection.

Beware!, 2010-01-03
I received this DVD through Amazon as a Christmas present and when I sat down to watch it with my family, I noticed that instead of easing into the film with a menu and then the credits, it jumped directly into the film, with some strange digital glitches at various points. Later, the film jumped into an endless loop as it couldn't progress through the video then jumped back to the beginning of that scene. I know there's nothing wrong with my DVD player and upon closer inspection of the DVD, it doesn't have the familiar silvery reflective surface, characteristic of a commercially produced DVD, but a purple coloration, characteristic of a home burned DVD. I think the distributor that's supplying these to Amazon needs to be investigated because I'm convinced this is a bootlegged DVD. Buyer beware.

Suspicious Minds!, 2010-02-25
A fascinating peek into pre-war small-town Middle America, Hitchock creates a scathing commentary on the white gingerbread houses and the little games people make to keep themselves amused.

One such girl is Charlie, who is bored to tears with her life, same-old, same-old, as we would say. Her mother is a gossip and meticulous about the house and kitchen. Her father and is brother in law love to make up murderous plots about to kill each other, all in fun and "to relax." "See this mushroom? Add a toadstool or two and you'd be dead!"

She gets the idea to contact her uncle Charlie by telegram to come out to Santa Rosa, California. At the same time, Uncle Charlie (her mother's brother) decides to get out of the East as he is being followed by two detectives.

As with the audience, we are just as puzzled as Charlie. Is Uncle Charlie actually a serial killer? As we follow his adventures we come to believe he just may be!

Particularly chilling is his speech at the dinner table about rich widows who take all the money their husbands had worked all their lives to accumulate, and just like the fat animals they are, should be taken out and slaughtered. Whoa!

Charlie is convinced and her uncle creates various "accidents" to put her out of the way permanently as he realizes she knows he may be the Merry Widow murderer.

Based on an actual killer of the times, Hitchcock expertly weaves a tale of suspicion and leads his audience to the final conclusion with purpose and darkness.

Some trivia:

It's fun seeing Santa Rosa here, as I don't live much further than 100 miles from the place, currently a major town in Northern California. Hitchcock found just the right house for his film, but he loved the run-down look. The occupants cleaned the place up and gave it a new paint job to Hitchcock's chagrin (which he then had his men return it to its rundown condition!).

Shadow of a Doubt was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story, Gordon McDonell.

And Joseph Cotten is amazing as the evil uncle Charlie, who you can see that he sincerely loves his family, he has no intention of getting caught and will go to any means to prevent that. He can't help but say things that lead one to suspicion.

When Charlie starts avoiding him as she finds out more and more about her uncle, the tension builds and the accusations fly.

It is also said to be one of Alfred Hitchcock's most favorite films. You got to see this!

The DVD collection I borrowed from also has some cool behind the scenes from the original actors, including Teresa Wright (Charlie), who unfortunately died soon after this, in 2005.

Shadow of a Doubt was remade in 1958 as Step Down to Terror and again as a TV movie in 1991 also called Shadow of a Doubt, both of which I have not see. Regardless, love the original!

A great cast is worth repeating:

Cast
* Joseph Cotten - Charlie Oakley
* Teresa Wright - Young Charlie Newton
* MacDonald Carey - Jack Graham
* Henry Travers - Joseph Newton
* Patricia Collinge - Emma Newton

Recommend:

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Volume 1 (Lamb To The Slaughter / The Case of Mr. Pelham / Banquo's Chair / Back For Christmas)
The Alfred Hitchcock Collection: The Best of Hitchcock, Vol. 1 (Psycho / Rear Window / Shadow of a Doubt / The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) / Rope / Topaz / Family Plot / Alfred Hitchcock Presents Vol. 2)

strains 2010 credulity, 2010-03-03
Love Hitch, but I wasn't feeling this one, which I had never previously seen. Setup is nice but strains 2010 credulity; I guarantee this was really creepy and foreboding in 1943, when scenes played out in front of rear-screen projected backdrops didn't jar you right out of the mood.

Don't Buy This Cut-Rate DVD, Terrible Quality, 2009-12-26
This DVD looks like it was captured off of YouTube. My suspicions were aroused when I saw the bizarre packaging and the lack of the familiar "DVD" logo that you always see on legitimate releases. DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION. Learn from my mistake and stick to the official Universal releases instead.

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