When asked to choose a favorite from his many films, Alfred Hitchcock frequently cited Shadow of a Doubt, and this noir-inflected story of an ingratiating serial killer undoubtedly ranks among his masterworks. From the moment Charles “Uncle Charlie” Oakley (Joseph Cotten) descends from his train in the naively welcoming small town of Santa Rosa, Calif. – with a bilious eruption of smoke blotting out the eternally sunny skies – the audience shudders at the dire possibilities that his arrival portends. His family, however, offers an uncritically warm embrace, especially sister Emma (Patricia Collinge), who adores her sibling, and niece Charlotte (Teresa Wright), who idolizes her uncle and sports the nickname Charlie in his honor. Co-written by all-star team of scenarists – Our Town’s Thornton Wilder, Meet Me in St. Louis’ Sally Benson, and Alma Reville (Hitchcock’s wife, who had a shaping hand in all of his films) – Shadow of a Doubt celebrates America’s virtues but starkly exposes its hidden vices and wilful blind spots. Although often quite funny, the film is also among Hitchcock’s most disquieting, with a pervasive air of menace and a skin-crawling hint of incestuous attraction.

To attend both the film screening and post-screening discussion, please purchase a ticket for the Thursday 1:00 PM screening. Discussions are offered exclusively at this Thursday matinee.

This presentation is part of the film & lectures series Getting Hitched in partnership with St. Louis Oasis. Thursday matinees for six of the films: Blackmail, The 39 Steps, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Rear Window, and Vertigo. will be followed by a discussion of 30 minutes led by Cliff Froehlich, retired executive director of Cinema St. Louis and former film critic for The Riverfront Times.