Suspicion (DVD, 2004)

In Hitchcock’s Suspicion, Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant) falls in love with Linda McLaidlow (Joan Fontaine) and, shortly into the film, the two marry. Though the opening scenes seemed to be jumping around quite a bit, it was necessary to show them falling in love and getting married rather quickly.

Regardless, after the two marry and go on a honeymoon, Johnnie shows Linda the beautiful house he bought for her. But she also learns that Johnnie had to take out a loan to buy the house. She urges him to get a job.

As the movie progresses, it seems more and more like Johnnie isn’t what he says he is. He gets a job working for his cousin and comes home one day with lots of presents for her, the maid and his old friend (Nigel Bruce). He says he won 2,000 pounds betting, but Linda (or Leena) learns that his cousin fired Johnnie because 2,000 pounds was missing.

With more little “coincidences” like this, Joan begins to suspect that something is amiss…

Joan Fontaine won the Oscar for Best Actress for this picture and she deserved every bit of it. Most of the movie consists of Leena (that is, Linda) thinking and deducing—all silently—and Fontaine performed masterfully. Grant, despite his sometimes monotone voice, gave a great performance as well, and Bruce supported the two excellently. Hitchcock worked the suspense up with his creative filming and camera angles and he leaves a bit of his imprint on it, though it is decidedly an early Hitchcock.

Hitchcock later claimed that he wanted a different ending, but the studio couldn’t let Cary Grant be portrayed as a murderer. However, Donald Spoto, in The Art of Alfred Hitchcock thinks the ending, as it stands, is strong.

A romantic suspense movie well worth watching, perhaps even better than Hitchcock and Grant’s later To Catch A Thief.

Let me start with saying I think Cary Grant is the best actor...ever. I enjoyed this movie though I regret that Alfred Hitchcock's original interpretation of the film did not prevail. The studio's fear that if Cary Grant was a villan it would tarnish his image. The studio's ending leaves the audience unfulfilled. The suspicion, innuendo that was fostered throughout the film would have found its climax with Joan Fontaine drinking the milk served to her by Cary Grant knowing that it was poisoned. The implications of this act would have evoked the questions and speculation that I think Hitchcock would have reveled in. The current film always reminds me of what it could have been and instead risking tarnishing Grant I feel as if I watched a tarnished movie... but I still love that Grant.

This is Cary Grant at his best, he is charming, debonair and slightly sinister. You will be drawn in with Joan Fontaine's "Suspicion".

For me this is an excellent movie. Grant is so charming and mysterious. It does keep you wondering but in the end Grant is a good guy after all. Joan Fontaine is a very good actress. I don't mind seeing this movie over and over again.