Shadow of a Doubt

Shadow of a Doubt

“I wouldn’t say that Shadow of a Doubt is my favorite picture; if I’ve given that impression, it’s probably because I feel that here is something that our friends, the plausibles and logicians, cannot complain about.”

Alfred Hitchcock to Truffaut

Hitchcock’s American Movie

Thornton Wilder helped to write the script because Hitchcock had seen and admired Wilder’s Our Town.

Our Town is a three act play that also centers around a small, idealistic, American town.

Teresa Wright was an understudy for the role of Emily.

Joseph Cotten

Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten

Joseph Cotten played Jedediah Leland in Citizen Kane in 1941.

Joseph CottenHitchcock used Cotten again in 1949 to play the lead in Under Capricorn.

Hume Cronyn, Herbie in Shadow of a Doubt, adapted this script to film.

Joseph Cotten

Teresa Wright

Life 1942

”[Teresa] shall not be required to pose for photographs in a bathing suit unless she is in water. Neither may she be photographed running on the beach with her hair flying in the wind. Nor may she pose in any of the following situations: in shorts; playing with a cocker spaniel; digging in a garden; whipping up a meal; attired in firecrackers and holding skyrockets for the fourth of July; looking insinuatingly at the turkey for Thanksgiving; wearing a bunny cap with long ears for Easter; twinkling on prop snow in a skiing outfit while a fan blows her scarf.”

Guardian March 9, 2005

Teresa Wright

Hume Cronyn

Doppelgangers and Doubles

Uncle Charles and Charlie

• Disinterested in money• Detail oriented• Charlie baits her uncle just as he does the

detectives at the beginning.• They both claim to be capable of murder.

Smoke and Shadow

Music and Triggers