shadow of a doubt (1942)

alfred hitchcock's "shadow of a doubt" one of his earliest american films, and his favourite of his own films, is the key text in one of my MA modules, and the reason for the current season of hitchcock films being undertaken by myself. the title of the film is represented physically throughout, not only through the use of literal shadows, but also through the use of smoke, black typography (diagetic text ie, on the doors of the library) and even in the form of shrubbery to compliment the use of the "shadow" of the title. the most impressive and perhaps obvious use of shadows comes early on, in the shape of the train arrival in the station, wherein the newton family are encased in shadow by the imposing figure of the train. this simple scene suggests quite literally, the state of things to come.

another fairly basic, yet incredibly effective technique is the contrast between new jersey (being the site of uncle charlie's introduction) and santa rosa (being the site of the newton family, specifically little charlie's introduction and dwelling). the two locations are poles apart, adding another layer to the level of characterisation for all parties. the off-kilter angles in which the locations are initially shot tells the viewer to be wary of what they are about to see, giving off an uneasy and unusual tone.

the character of little charlie ages severely throughout the film, as well as developing emotionally. at the start of the film she is but a little girl, angry at the restrictive nature of the world around her, yet by the films closing moments she is the fully fledged protagonist of her own life, having made the decisions that have moved the narrative. shes no longer a bored little girl, but is instead a strong female character, which was actually quite a bold statement for the 1940's.

with each viewing of a hitchcock film, one of the more apparent archetypes of his work is that of the comedic character. "shadow of a doubt" is no exception, with the paranoid character of herb adding to the comic relief. not only does he add to the lighter tone, but his tales of murder provoke a side of little charlie's character unseen to the point in question. the full importance of the "comedic" role is completely exposed here, as what is presumed to be little more than light relief is shown to be an incredibly important narrative ingredient.