Suspicion (1941) | Presenting Hitchcock Podcast

Gooooood evening. In this months episode of Presenting Hitchcock, Cory and Aaron don’t have a penny to their name as they discuss “Suspicion.”

The Picture:

Picture Title: Suspicion

Written by:

Screenplay by Samson Raphaelson, Joan Harrison and Alma Reville

Based on the novel “Before the Fact” by Anthoney Berkeley (as Francis Iles)

Starring: Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Cedrick Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty and Heather Angel

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Year Released: 1941

Our Favourite Trivia:

DIRECTOR CAMEO: Mailing a letter at the village post office.

Originally, this movie was intended as a B movie to star George Sanders and Anne Shirley. Then when Sir Alfred Hitchcock became involved, the budget increased, and Sir Laurence Olivier and Frances Dee were to star.

This movie marked Sir Alfred Hitchcock’s first movie as a producer, as well as director.

Joan Fontaine’s performance in this movie is the only Oscar-winning performance that Sir Alfred Hitchcock directed.

Cary Grant felt that Hitchcock gave Joan Fontaine preferential treatment to the detriment of his character. This behavior led to a lifelong bitter relationship between Grant and Fontaine, exacerbated by Fontaine’s Academy Award success and Grant’s perceived snub for this movie.

Cary Grant was so displeased with his experience with Director Sir Alfred Hitchcock, during the making of this movie, that he publicly vowed never to work again with Hitchcock. The rift between actor and director was mended, however, and Grant and Hitchcock collaborated on three more movies, Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959).

There are many differences between the movie and the novel. Johnnie Aysgarth’s infidelity is not featured in this movie: Lina’s best friend, with whom Johnnie has an affair, does not appear at all. In the novel, the maid Ella has an illegitimate son by Johnnie.

Hitchcock’s original ending had Johnnie killing Lina by poisoning her milk, but then convicting himself by mailing a letter that Lina had written.

The Random Draw for Next Picture:

Next up, we’ll be discussing “Stranger on a Train.”

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