All in the Family: Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt James mclaughlin

Unfortunately, what Uncle Charlie brings is murder and darkness to the otherwise idyllic small town. Uncle Charlie, as his favorite niece and namesake, Charlie calls him, is a charming man who promises to break the monotony of life in Santa Rosa as young woman sees it.

Here’s a brief Shadow of a Doubt refresher:Ĭharles Oakley loses the two men that are following him and suddenly decides to visit his sister Emma and her family in Santa Rosa, CA.

What he meant was the actual presence of the number two or a noticeable mention of two or illustration of two throughout Shadow of a Doubt. Naturally that piqued my curiosity so I took another look at the movie, doing a double-take at every mention or illustration of two. The “twos” my friend referred to weren’t part of the duality theme, however. There are many examples of Hitchcock dualities. Then there’s the in-your-face duality prevalent in Vertigo (1958) and Shadow of a Doubt’s own Uncle Charlie playing good guy while in actuality he’s a murdering scoundrel…and so forth. Also, the numerous spies that play a part in many Hitchcock stories are – by definition – employing at least two sides of their personalities. For instance, “the wrong man” theme that permeates many of his films suggests – at the very least – that most people have at their core the possibility of a dark side in addition to the good. I didn’t think much of the number two when mentioned because anyone who enjoys Hitchcock movies knows – or has noticed – the importance of two (or duality) as a theme element. The number two came up in regards to the director’s Shadow of a Doubt, his personal favorite and one of mine as well. When two strangers appear asking questions about him, she begins to imagine the worse about her dearly beloved uncle Charlie.I was having a conversation with another classic movie fan who has a particular admiration for Alfred Hitchcock. Young Charlie begins to notice some odd behavior on his part, such as cutting out a story in the local paper about a man who marries and then murders rich widows.

Charlie Oakley creates quite a stir and charms the ladies club as well as the bank president where his brother-in-law works. Imagine her delight when, out of the blue, they receive a telegram from uncle Charlie announcing that he is coming to visit them for awhile. She wishes something exciting wold happen and knows exactly what they need: a visit from her sophisticated and much traveled uncle Charlie Oakley, her mother's younger brother. Serial Killers Synopsis Charlotte 'Charlie' Newton is bored with her quiet life at home with her parents and her younger sister.

All in the Family: Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt James mclaughlin