Directed By:Alfred Hitchcock
Written By:Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, Alma Reville, Gordon McDonell
Shadow of a Doubt
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
94
User score
Generally Favorable
7.9
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
94
100% Positive
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
Shadow of a Doubt is considered to be director Alfred Hitchcock's best American film. Hitchcock himself regarded it so. [02 Aug 1998, p.60]
100
The sly Hitchcock made this chiller all the more frightening by having his crafty homicidal maniac intrude into the tranquility of a warm, middle-class family living in a small town, deeply developing his characters and drawing from the soft-spoken Joseph Cotten one of the actor's most remarkable and fascinating performances.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.9
81% Positive
66 Ratings
66 Ratings
14% Mixed
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
5% Negative
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
Oct 6, 2024
10
Hitchcock, in one of his first productions that he would make in Hollywood. Its hallmark remained in force and this thriller is one of those examples. The suspense keeps the viewer upside down through out the 108 minutes.
Aug 21, 2021
10
'Shadow of a Doubt' is a masterpiece. It continues to be well understood and enjoyed in both the present and the future because of its smart characters and script. I'm not exaggerating, this film is home to, quite possibly, the smartest female lead character at the time of its release. This is just one of many parts that make 'Shadow of a Doubt' so brilliant because when all is said and done, this film was a game changer. Many Thrillers since have been inspired by its modern writing, pacing, and cinematography. It is such a pleasure to watch these film elements unfold because I had fun comparing some scenes from the film with the future films it inspired. Whenever Hitchcock was asked in interviews, 'What is your favourite film from your filmography?' His response was "Shadow of a Doubt". It was certainly a damn fine choice.
100
No one would ever accuse Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt of being plausible, but it is framed so distinctively in the Hitchcock style that it plays firmly and never breaks out of the story.
90
Hitchcock is fully Hitchcock here, plunging deeply into his characters’ psyches, and remaining in full control of every cinematic effect.
88
It's a fine mix of suspense and character study. [02 Mar 1990, p.G41]
80
Hitchcock deftly etches his small-town characters and homey surroundings. Wright provides a sincere and persuasive portrayal as the girl, while Cotten is excellent as the motivating factor in the proceedings.
70
It's very well worked out in terms of character and it has a sustained grip, but it certainly isn't as much fun as several of his other films.
Jun 25, 2020
10
I never noticed until the last viewing how close the uncle and niece are, he puts a ring on her wedding finger, opposite hand.
Jun 14, 2019
10
Really unrated, maybe one of its best works. A true thriller, a beautiful movie.
May 10, 2025
7
Creo que es una película normal, es decir, te mantiene más o menos interesado en la trama. No tienes claro quién fue el que hizo lo sucedido y, obviamente, te va dando pistas desde el principio, pero en esta ocasión es muchísimo más sencillo darse cuenta de quién es desde el principio. Y eso no sería malo si tuviera alguna escena o final diferente, pero a partir de ahí todo es bastante predecible. En algunos momentos parece que te hacen dudar, pero no es un sentimiento tan fuerte, sino una ligera sospecha, e incluso el final, creo que es de los peores finales del director realmente, algo que, a mi parecer, empieza a ser problemático. Aun a día de hoy no encuentro una película del director que vaya más allá, todo se queda en algo seguro; aun así, la película está bien.
Nov 23, 2021
7
This is a slow burner of a film - the plot development gets quite good towards the end. there is a certain plausability about it, which is a little spooky I suppose. Its a typical film noir film, with frustratingly over the top incidental music at times but I liked the character development and as a Hitchcock film, it's not bad, particularly with the plot twists but its not entirely gripping I suppose. It's not a bad film and so I'd recommend it, yes.
Production Company:
- Universal Pictures
Release Date:Jan 15, 1943
Duration:1 h 48 m
Rating:PG
Tagline:A Blast of DRAMATIC Dynamite exploded right before your eyes! (print ad)
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Photoplay Awards
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
National Film Preservation Board, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
