ESTHER LUTTRELL

Shadow of a Doubt is the kind of film people used to pack theaters to see. Not because it was a blockbuster, but because word-of-mouth was that it was darn enjoyable. Joseph Cotton almost never plays the bad guy, but when it does, he does it to perfection. An eerie movie, but not one to give you nightmares. Excellent acting, excellent script. Highly recommend.

With all the Davis to choose from, put this at the bottom of your must-see list. Keep it on the list, but don't make it a priority. Davis turns in a rather routine Bette Davis performance, as if she is imitating herself. Dennis Morgan is good - a better actor than he was given credit for being, but still... it is all lack-luster.

Isn't it amazing how two people can convey, in a film from 1942, how passionately they care for each other - while keeping on all their clothes and never once embarrassing their audience. Passion is hotter when restrained. The imagination of the viewer can do more than a misguided director of today's films. This is a timeless, wonderful romp with a purpose. It holds up very, very well.

I first saw this movie when I was a child, maybe ten years old. It's strange how a small film, not a blockbuster, will stay in your mind through the years. Over a period of time, I've looked at it again, and I love it just as much as I did as a kid in a dark Florida theater all those years ago. There is a deep message about human understanding in the rather light script. There is also courage, fear, true concern about another human being that shows through. It's more than you would expect for a film of this genre. Unforgettable.

Hollywood, take a lesson in great filmmaking. This wonderfully crafted movie has it all. The acting is beyond excellent, the storyline filled with a kind of humanity and depth lacking in 99.9% of today's films. Look beyond the words, and hear the real meaning of what is being said on-screen. This film has so much depth, so much character, it is difficult to verbalize. If you don't care to think deeply, then just sit back and watch one of the most amazing musical numbers ever filmed. It runs a full five minutes, but you won't want to even blink for fear of missing a beat. Make watching this movie a family 4th of July tradition. You'll be amazed what your children will learn from it and never even know they were anything but entertained.

Say what you will, there is something immortal about this movie. Black-and-white, deceased actors, no matter. It does not age.

From time to time, over the years, I've watched this movie and I still cannot figure out the plot line. I assumed that, as I matured, I would come to understand whatever eluded me in the past. No such thing has happened. I realize it's a classic. What I don't realize is why. I have asked many of my fellow-writer friends and they agree; we don't have a clue what this beautifully acted, carefully crafted, movie is all about.