Tags
1940's, Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Cedric Hardwicke, Joan Fontaine, May Whitty, Nigel Bruce, Suspicion, Thriller
Film Title
Suspicion
Director
Alfred Hitchcock
Starring
- Joan Fontaine as Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth
- Cary Grant as Johnnie Aysgarth
- Cedric Hardwicke as General McLaidlaw
- Nigel Bruce as Beaky
- May Whitty as Martha McLaidlaw
A suspense laden thriller from the master Alfred Hitchcock, Suspicion is only slightly let down by a studio imposed ending. Despite this, the picture has much to praise in the way of some superb acting from Cary Grant and an Oscar-winning Joan Fontaine, spine tingling music and an air of encroaching menace.
Lina McLaidlaw is the shy and sheltered daughter of a general and his wife. She lives in the English countryside and has been brought to behave like a lady. One day she meets Johnny Aysgarth, a handsome irresponsible gambler who she immediately falls in love with. Lina is desperate to escape her controlled existence and Johnnie proves to be just that. Despite the warnings of others surrounding Johnnie’s behaviour, the two of them marry after a brief courtship. After a luxurious honeymoon, Lina and Johnnie move into a lovely home. Yet this idyllic way of living starts to become clouded by Johnnie’s gambling and his various lies. After a series of strange events, a panic-stricken Lina slowly comes to believe that Johnnie plans to murder her for her money. Yet she can’t prove this, but as the tension mounts will she discover that she is right or wrong regarding Johnnie? Suspense and uncertainty abound as Hitchcock plunges Lina into a waking nightmare, slowly seeing that Johnnie may not be the ideal man that she met and may in fact be something much more sinister.
As I mentioned earlier in my review, the studio producing Suspicion changed the ending to fit in with the conventions of the time. The imposed ending does detract from the overall impact of the movie, but there’s still more than enough to enjoy in Hitchcock’s thriller. After all, any movie by Hitchcock at least at some time shows the amazing techniques and sense of unnerving tension that he brought to the movies. The camerawork is marvellous in its close-ups of the characters, especially Lina’s slowly terrified face as she wrestles with the notion that her husband has sinister designs for her. The tension filled script boasts some interesting dark humour that boosts the narrative along nicely. The score makes for a chilling listen as it echoes Lina’s mounting fears surrounding her doubt. As always, Hitchcock crafts scenes dripping with suspense that make the hairs on the back of your neck shiver. One great example is Johnnie bringing Lina a drink of milk at night, the glass seems to glow with malicious intention and Lina’s quivering face as it rests on her table transfers to the viewers mounting suspicions.
Joan Fontaine is marvellous in the role that won her an Oscar. She subtly portrays Lina’s girlish and sheltered innocence that soon gives way to mounting terror at the thought of her husband’s plans. Fontaine conveys so much emotion through her eyes that is a really a marvel to behold, we see her uncertainty, love and suspicion as events take on a mysterious air around her. Cary Grant is suave and sophisticated, yet also hints at the possible darkness that may lurk within Johnnie. Cedric Hardwicke is great as Lina’s stern father as well as May Whitty as her observant mother. Nigel Bruce portrays the likable Beaky, Johnnie’s hapless and humorous best friend with ease and charm.
Suspense, romance and skill combine to craft this marvellous thriller. Suspicion may be let down by the ending but the film is far from unwatchable. It may not be Hitchcock’s best work, but it is far from his worst with its splendid performances and tension filled suspense.
jeffro517 said:
Nicely written review. This is a somewhat unappreciated film when people start talking about Hitchcock.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, I totally agree it’s a very well crafted movie. The ending just drags it down a bit. But as you said it really is unappreciated Hitchcock.
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jeffro517 said:
It’s weird to see Hitchcock under the thumb of the studio. By 1946 his movies were very much his own creations from start to finish.
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vinnieh said:
I know, thankfully he later took total control over his movies for the better.
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thomasjford said:
I’ve got a whole Hitchcock box set at home but never watched any of it. I need to change that one day.
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vinnieh said:
You really should see his movies, the techniques, actors and stories he used made for amazing cinema.
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Alex Withrow said:
Nice review here man, we agree all the way. A solid film, with a cop-out ending. I always felt like Fontaine’s Oscar for this film was a consolation prize for her Rebecca loss. I still love her in Suspicion, but I love her in Rebecca.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment Alex, she was great in both the movies she did with Hitchcock but Rebecca is my favourite performance from her.
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Victor De Leon said:
This review rocked. Great perspective and insight. As a big Hitchcock fan I am very impressed by your breakdown of the film (very astute of you to mention the studio imposed ending). It still remains one of my fav Hitch films and I love re-visiting it often. Good work!
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment, Hitchcock was such an innovative director whose legacy of cinematic legacy still lives on to this day.
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Victor De Leon said:
Very true! I still find new things to appreciate when ever I re-visit his films. I just did a Noir list of films for my blog and re-watched Notorious and Spellbound. Great mood and style backed by some incredible craftsman-ship. His stuff is amazing.
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bhatiayash60 said:
Great review. You know, I consider myself a fan of ‘Psycho’ and hence Hitchcock and somehow I haven’t watched ‘Suspicion’ till date. Will see to it ASAP.
Love this blog.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comments, let me know what you think of Suspicion if you do see it.
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maddylovesherclassicfilms said:
I wish this had a darker ending, but what’s here is far from Hitch’s worst effort. Joan Fontaine is excellent as the woman being slowly driven mad by her fears and suspicion. I agree that what is here is very good despite the somewhat disappointing ending.
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vinnieh said:
Damn studio meddling, why can’t they just leave things as they are? On another note, Fontaine was indeed excellent as the questioning and vulnerable wife.
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maddylovesherclassicfilms said:
I hear you! Let the director film what they want and leave it alone. Hitch knew what he was doing, so let him do it. It also annoys me when they make a director cut their film down so it’s shorter. Some of us like long films!
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vinnieh said:
And Hitchcock was a master, so it was foolish to try and influence him.
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