Friday Flashback: Rec. #78: Shadow of a Doubt

I decided to start doing Friday Flashbacks in case you missed some early posts the first time around. You're busy; I understand.

What: Once you realize that Shadow of a Doubt is a collaboration between Alfred Hitchcock and Thornton Wilder, the whole film clicks into place.

It's the story of two Charlies: Uncle Charlie Oakley, who's a vague sort of success out in the world, and Charlotte "Young Charlie" Newton, his niece and namesake. Young Charlie is frustrated with the confines of her family's small-town life --- then her adored Uncle Charlie comes to town.

As she slowly discovers another side of her uncle, the film slyly highlights the hundreds of small darknesses that creep into even the most idyllic settings.

Comparable to: As if a Hitchcock killer wandered onstage during a production of Our Town.

Representative quote: "We're not talking about killing people. Herb's talking about killing me, and I'm talking about killing him."

You might not like it if: You like your Hitchcock heroines blonde. You might be interested to know, however, that Hitchcock often said this was his favorite film. (It's my favorite of his, too.)

Connections to previous Wreckage: See List #30 for more Hitchcock films starring non-blondes.

Also, it's worth noting that, like The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (Rec. #65), Shadow of a Doubt features a witheringly clever younger sister.

[Originally posted 3/21/11.]