TheLina McLaidlaw (Fontaine) and Johnnie Aysgarth (Grant) could not be more different. She lives a sheltered life of privilege with her strict parents: General (Hardwicke) and Mrs. (Dame May Whitty) McLaidlaw. No one believes she will ever find love. Johnnie is a smooth talking playboy, who doesn't plan to settle down. Defying expectations, they fall in love and get married.
After the honeymoon, Lina learns the truth about her husband: he is a compulsive gambler and smooth talker, with a quick answer to every problem. He doesn't believe in working... just wants to borrow money from friends, and the McLaidlaw's, to pay the bills. With Beaky (Bruce), one of Johnnie's friends, staying with them, Lina learns more about her husband... and begins to suspect his motives and actions, and fears he could start following the modus operandi of the various murderers in his favorite mystery novels.
Cary Grant as a villain, say it isn't so! I went into this film with a blank slate. I knew it was a Hitchcock film, and starred Joan Fontaine, but that was about it. But I was impressed... the partnership between Hitchcock and Grant always equals AMAZING!!
The audience experiences the story through Lina's perspective... Interestingly, Hitchcock used the same perspective in his film Rebecca (the main character was also played by Joan Fontaine). Once again, Fontaine is the naive woman, who falls in love with a man she does not understand... and begins to suspect her feelings are stronger than his. She embodies the character well, and has an interesting, if unexpected, chemistry with Grant. Grant is charming at times, menacing at others... all around believable (is there anything the man can't do?). Nigel Bruce is great as Beaky... keeping the plot from being too serious. I appreciate how Hitchcock inserts humor into his suspense films, without completely removing the audience from the story. Bruce is funny and somewhat oblivious and it completely works!
Not sure how I feel about the ending... I prefer Hitchcock's original idea for the ending (which mirrors the ending from the novel). I can see the merits in the ending chosen, but I would be happier with a different ending. Overall a great film!
Suspicion (1941) 99 minutes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Cary Grant as Johnnie Aysgarth
Joan Fontaine as Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth
Cedric Hardwicke as General McLaidlaw
Nigel Bruce as Beaky
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