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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

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Suspicion Quotes:

Johnnie Aysgarth: Well, well. You're the first woman I've ever met who said yes when she meant yes.
Johnnie Aysgarth: Your hair's all wrong. It has such wonderful possibilities that I, well, I got excited. For the moment I became a, a passionate hairdresser.
Photographer: I wonder if I could have just a little bit more of your smile?
Johnnie Aysgarth: Oh, now, not at this hour of the morning.
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.
[first lines]
Johnnie Aysgarth: Oh, I beg your pardon. Was that your leg? I had no idea we were going into a tunnel. I thought the compartment was empty.
See More Quotes from Suspicion
Suspicion Facts
In the scene where Johnnie brings a glass of milk up to Lina, Alfred Hitchcock had a light hidden in the glass to make it appear more sinister.
Joan Fontaine, in character as Lina, narrates the trailer on screen and speaks directly to the audience.
Alfred Hitchcock wanted an ending similar to the climax of the novel, but the studio, more concerned with Cary Grant's "heroic" image, insisted that it be changed. Writer Donald Spoto, in his biography of Hitchcock, "The Dark Side Of Genius", disputes Hitchcock's claim to have been overruled on the film's ending. Spoto claims that the first RKO treatment and memos between Hitchcock and the studio show that Hitchcock emphatically desired to make a film about a woman's fantasy life.
"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on January 4, 1943 with Joan Fontaine and Nigel Bruce reprising their film roles.
Johnnie calls Lina by his nickname for her, "Monkey Face", 19 times throughout the movie.
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