RKO Radio Pictures
Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, Alfred Hitchcock
Lina (Joan Fontaine) is a wealthy aristocratic lady, but lonely and worried about becoming a spinster. She meets charming gambler Johnny (Cary Grant) on a train, and he is floored by her and begins a speedy courtship and soon they are married. But Lina realizes she doesn’t know much about him, and a number of things do not seem to add up. It seems Johnny has a fondness for the track, and lives from day to day by borrowing money from his friends. Several events start Lina thinking, and the death of a close friend and a strange interest in poisons leads her to think he is out to kill her. Alfred Hitchcock spins a yarn of doubt and suspicion that is classic Hitchcock.
Suspicion is not one of Hitchcocks greatest films, but it is pretty good. Joan Fontaine received an academy award for her role, and Cary Grant is certainly charming. Even though the film was made in 1941, it still holds up pretty well today. Sometimes it’s hard to watch poor Lina losing faith in Johnny bit by bit. His actions are very questionable and the lies roll off easy. But what is this scoundrel really up to? This is a good introduction to Hitchcock, not extremely suspenseful, but the typical Hitchcock plot device of stacking the evidence against somebody, and anyone would have to believe this guy is a thug!
Delightful to watch, the action unfolds piece by piece and we’re pulling into the stunning story until we’re completely hooked. This is a great look back into the classic days of cinema when the sets were amazing and the cinematography was done with such love and care. This is a wonderful relaxing way to spend an evening.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
Classic Movie Review - Suspicion (1941) {NR},
