Uncle Charlie ( Joseph Cotten) confronts his niece ( Teresa Wright) in a seedy bar about what she knows. He begs her for help she reluctantly agrees not to say anything, as long as he leaves soon to avoid a horrible confrontation that would destroy her mother, who idolizes her younger brother. He admits he is one of the two murder suspects. Uncle Charlie follows and takes her into a seedy bar. Horrified, young Charlie runs out of the room. He describes them as 'fat, wheezing animals'. She then notices Uncle Charlie begin to act strangely.ĭuring dinner one night, Uncle Charlie lets his guard down and reveals his hatred of rich widows. Charlie refuses to believe it at first, but learns that the initials engraved inside the ring he gave her match those of one of the murdered women. One of them explains her uncle is one of two suspects who may be the 'Merry Widow Murderer'. Young Charlie guesses they are undercover police detectives. Not long afterward, two men appear at the Newton home, trying to take Uncle Charlie's picture. However, she notices that it has someone else's initials engraved inside. As a gesture of affection, Uncle Charlie gives his niece an emerald ring.

Upon his arrival, everyone is delighted, especially young Charlie. She receives wonderful news: Her mother's younger brother (her eponym), Charles Oakley, is arriving for a visit. Plot Ĭharlotte 'Charlie' Newton is a bored teenage girl living in the idyllic town of Santa Rosa, California.

The film was also Alfred Hitchcock's favorite of all of his films. In 1991, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'. The fear escalates when Oakley realizes she knows his secret. That excitement turns to fear as young Charlie slowly realizes her uncle is in fact a wanted serial murderer known as the 'Merry Widow' killer. An unexpected visit by Charles Oakley, her charming and sophisticated 'Uncle Charlie', brings much excitement to her family and the small town. Written by Thornton Wilder, Sally Benson, and Alma Reville, the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Story for Gordon McDonell.Ĭharlotte 'Charlie' Newton and her parents live in very quiet Santa Rosa, California. Shadow of a Doubt is a 1943 American psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten.

Without a/the shadow of a doubt