Shadow of a Doubt mayn't be my personal favourite of Hitchcock's movies, but it is in my opinion one of his most suspenseful and tense films evident from right at the beginning with the cloud of ominous black smoke. In short, it is a brilliant classic thriller. Even after first seeing the movie 7 years ago when I was 11, the film never loses its tension. Some people might say it lacks the show-off set pieces that was Hitch's trademark, but I have to say I don't find that the case. I for one found the climax especially nail-biting. On top of that, the film is very well made, the cinematography once again is faultless and the production values are sumptuous. The music also adds to the suspense and the tension, it is beautiful at times with the mix of Lehar's Merry Widow Overture, which is significant to the story, yet in the more tense scenes, it is powerful, haunting and chilling. The script is also of high-calibre quality, as is Hitch's direction. As are the performances. Teresa Wright is pretty much the epitome of pumpkin-pie innocence, while Joseph Cotton is charming and suave yet somewhat chilling as well as the killer who is wanted in the east for relieving widows of their wealth and their lives. The story is swiftly-told, isn't that complicated and moves along at a reasonable pace if rather slow on occasions. Overall, suspenseful, tense and well made, a must see for fans of the Master of Suspense. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Years ago, I watched this film and liked it a lot more than when I just watched it again. I think this is because on second viewing, I noticed some plot problems that hindered me from scoring it higher. I should point out that IMDb users have placed the film in the top 250, so it's quite possible I am nitpicking, but I just thought the film could have been better--especially from a suspense point of view.

Joseph Cotten plays a man who you think is a multiple murderer. Oddly, whether he is or not COULD have been held until the end of the film, but the truth of it was revealed about halfway into the film--and kind of took the wind out of the sails. While the only one who knew that he was a murderer was his niece, Teresa Wright, she kept this to herself--even when it seemed he was trying to kill her!! Now I know that Ms. Wright supposedly didn't want to upset her mother by announcing that he was a murderer, but after two attempts on her life and nothing said by Wright, you just have to assume she's an idiot! In addition, she did a lousy job of hiding it from Cotten--making her an obvious liability. I hate "suspense" movies that rely on the basic stupidity of a character in order to keep the film going! However, apart from these serious problems, the film STILL is pretty exciting--and the ending is very, very memorable. However I still think the film is a bit overrated.

FYI--For those who love to spot Hitchcock, you see the back of his head and a bit of his side profile towards the beginning of the film on the train. He has in his hands one of the most stupendous Bridge hands imaginable--provided he can get control of the table.

I don't believe Shadow of a Doubt will rank as one of Alfred Hitchcock's best film. But second rank Hitchcock is better than most people's best efforts.

Joseph Cotten has come for a visit to Santa Rosa, California to see his sister Patricia Collinge and her family. They welcome him as the prodigal brother. But his very perceptive niece named after him played by Teresa Wright suspects something is wrong with this picture.

Uncle Charlie is suspected of being a serial killer with the monniker of The Merry Widow Killer. He strangles rich old widows and robs them. I guess it's a living, albeit one with risks.

Those risks are getting to him and on some levels you see Cotten almost wants to be caught. In fact Teresa starts to suspect him over a trivial incident involving her dad's paper. Cotten goes to great lengths to hide a feature story about The Merry Widow Murders. When she goes to the library to see what was in the paper that he didn't want the family to see, this is when she starts figuring it out.

Really all Cotten had to do is nothing. But he really did want it to end.

I'm not sure any player ever had such an auspicious beginning in such top rated films as Teresa Wright. In the space of three years she appeared in The Little Foxes, Mrs. Miniver, Pride of the Yankees and now Shadow of a Doubt. She's a Nancy Drew if Nancy had ever discovered there was a criminal who was a close relative.

Patricia Collinge essentially repeats her role from The Little Foxes. If she's not quite as daft as Miss Birdie, she's still kind of operating within her own world. Henry Travers does fine as her husband as does Hume Cronyn as his partner in their own make believe world of crime.

Of course giving a big assist to Ms. Wright's suspicions is the presence of detectives MacDonald Carey and Wallace Ford. They are a team chasing Cotten as one of two men they think is the Merry Widow Killer.

One thing with this film is that unlike Suspicion, Hitchcock stood firm and did not bow to pressure to exonerate Cotten like he did with Cary Grant in the previous film. Of course Cotten was fairly new to the cinema so he could be cast as a villain. And Hitchcock does what he does best, toy with the audiences emotions. Like Suspicion when a whole lot of things happen to Teresa Wright they can be explained away and there is that red herring of that other suspect across the continent.

Of course the other part of Shadow of a Doubt is how the thing is resolved in regard to Cotten's family. The ending might be a bit too pat, but still it does tie up the loose ends in the best way for all concerned.