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Suspicion Overview:

Suspicion (1941) was a Film Noir - Mystery Film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by Harry E. Edington.

The film was based on the novel Before the Fact written by Francis Iles published in 1932.

SYNOPSIS

This Hitchcock thriller has winning performances from Grant and Fontaine. In order to escape the oppression of her rigid, wealthy parents, Fontaine embraces the attention of Grant though she knows his reputation as a cad. When his friend Bruce turns up dead, Fontaine begins to think she's next and frets about the nightly glass of milk Grant brings her. Her fears reach a crescendo on a careening drive on a twisting road.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1941 --- Ceremony Number 14 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActressJoan FontaineWon
Best PictureRKO RadioNominated
See More Oscar Winners

Suspicion BlogHub Articles:

"Suspicion" comes between Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine

By Stephen Reginald on Mar 31, 2021 From Classic Movie Man

"Suspicion" comes between Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine Suspicion (1941) is a psychological romance directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. The screenplay was written by Samson Raphaelson, Joan Harrison, and Alma Reville (Mrs. Alfred Hitchcock). The movie was base... Read full article

Beyond Suspicion (1993 TVM)

By John Grant on Apr 1, 2020 From Noirish

vt Appointment for a Killing US / 92 minutes / color / Frank & Bob Films, Patricia K. Meyer, von Zerneck–Sertner, NBC Dir: William A. Graham Pr: Randy Sutter Scr: Karen Clark Story: Appointment for Murder: The Story of the Killing Dentist (1988) by Susan Crain Bakos Cine: Denis Lewiston Cast: ... Read full article

book: Beyond Suspicion (2006; trans 2009 Linda Coverdale) by Tanguy Viel

By John Grant on Jul 20, 2019 From Noirish

One of the review quotes on the cover of this short book says it reads like a Raymond Chandler novel, a comment of maximal piffledom; I guess the unnamed reviewer has the excuse that s/he was writing for a French literary magazine, rather than an Anglophone one, but even making that allowance may be... Read full article

From the Archives: Joan Fontaine in Suspicion ( 1941 )

By The Metzinger Sisters on Apr 24, 2017 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

Joan Fontaine posing for a quick costume shot during the making of Alfred Hitchcock's Suspicion. Joan always knew how to wear high collars and top-heavy hats like a queen. From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these ... Read full article

Suspicion (1941)

on Jul 6, 2016 From Journeys in Classic Film

We’re going back a few years to examine a film from Hitchcock’s 1940s output. A year after winning the Academy Award for Rebecca, Hitchcock reteamed with star Joan Fontaine for another one-word titled mystery, Suspicion. This classy thriller pairs Hitchcock for the first time with the s... Read full article

See More Suspicion Articles

Suspicion Quotes:

[Lina asks Johnnie how he intends to support them]
Johnnie Aysgarth: Well, if the worst comes to the worst and there's no other way out, I'll have to...
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: What?
Johnnie Aysgarth: Borrow some more.
Johnnie Aysgarth: You thought I was going to kiss you, didn't you?
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: Weren't you?
Johnnie Aysgarth: Of course not. I was merely reaching around you, trying to fix your hair.
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: What's wrong with my hair?
Johnnie Aysgarth: Well, I'm glad you asked me that. It would've been extremely discourteous for me to bring the subject up.
[Johnnie and Lina are facing a large portrait of her father]
Johnnie Aysgarth: He doesn't like me.
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: I know.
Johnnie Aysgarth: He doesn't trust me from here to there. (Speaking to portrait) Do you? Well, you're right. I can only bring her unhappiness. Well, warn her. Speak up, man. It's your last chance. (To Lina) Hear him?
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: Very distinctly.
Johnnie Aysgarth: He's not exaggerating a thing, dear. It's all true, every word he isn't saying.
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: I love him, father.
Johnnie Aysgarth: Did you see him jump?
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: I did.
Johnnie Aysgarth: Well, watch this one. (Speaking to portrait) Sir, I have the honor of asking for your daughter's hand in marriage. Well, what do you say to that? (He begins tapping on the portrait and it falls off the wall) My oh my. You heard him that time, didn't you?
[Lina starts to button her blouse]
Johnnie Aysgarth: Don't do that.
Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth: Why not?
Johnnie Aysgarth: Because your ucipital mapilary is quite beautiful.
Johnnie Aysgarth: [to Lina] I think I'm falling in love with you, and I don't quite like it.
See More Quotes from Suspicion
Suspicion Facts
Joan Fontaine, in character as Lina, narrates the trailer on screen and speaks directly to the audience.
Joan Fontaine liked the character of Lina in Suspicion so much that she sent Alfred Hitchcock a note after she read the novel ("Before the Fact", by Anthony Berkeley) offering to play the part for free, if necessary.
In one draft of the script, when Johnnie realizes what was in Lina's mind, he runs away until he can "find some way to pay" his debts (both financial and moral), and joins the air force under a false name. She finds out where he's stationed and proudly watches as his plane, with his nickname for her painted on it, takes off.
In interviews, 'Alfred Hitchcock (I) said that an RKO executive ordered that all scenes in which Cary Grant appeared menacing be excised from the film. When the cutting was completed, the film ran only fifty-five minutes. The scenes were later restored, Hitchcock said, because he shot each piece of film so that there was only one way to edit them together properly.
This movie marked Alfred Hitchcock's first film as a producer as well as director.
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