TV and Movies

[Oznell]

6:15 p.m. Eastern-- "Suspicion"  Joan Fontaine, Cary Grant, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty

The well-loved mystery and romance caps off a day of Joan Fontaine bingeing on TCM.  (And for those who missed the very recently shown "Born to Be Bad" and "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt", they're on today too.)

The lure of Hitchcock's "Suspicion" is Joan's tormenting question about her marriage to Cary Grant.  Is he a somewhat weak but lovable man, capable of bringing devotion and excitement to his wife, or is he the coldest kind of opportunist, subject to dark impulses that Joan can barely bring herself to contemplate?  The viewer rides the same rollercoaster that she is on, and while the ending may seem contrived, it's great fun getting there.

Here's Fontaine being attended by hubby and a good-natured suspense writer friend, and, Joan is tortured by doubts, right up to the point Cary solicitously brings her a seemingly benign glass of milk...

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/274156/Suspicion-Movie-Clip-A-Most-Pleasant-Death.html

[violann]

@Oznell Do I remember that alternative endings were made for this movie? Don’t wish to give away the plot, but I’m sure you’ll know why I asked the question.....😉

[kaydee50]

IMO an OK Hitchcock ruined by the ending.

[Mz iMac]

Hitchcock always has a cameo (non speaking) in his movies.  Here he is in Suspicion....

Hitchcock's cameo in Suspicion (1941) occurs about 47 minutes into the film. As Mrs Newsham (Isabel Jeans) parks her car outside the Post Office, Hitchcock can be seen posting a letter into the pillar box.

[OKPrincess]

Today is a good day on TCM. Can’t wait. Thanks for summaries and pictures.

[Oznell]

@violann, you're the soul of discretion, and I think you are right, they tested audience reaction to various scenarios!

[Oznell]

How cool, @Mz iMac--  I'm guessing this is one of the few where his inevitable "bit part" shows up that late in the movie.  Usually he tries to make his appearance early on, often in the first minutes...