By: Alex Phuong (A Toast) –
Sir Alfred Hitchcock is the director behind some of the most terrifically terrifying films of all time. He is responsible for thrilling audiences with classics like Rear Window (1954), North by Northwest (1959), and of course, Psycho (1960). Years before being hailed as “The Master of Suspense,” Hitchcock actually directed film adaptations of popular fiction released near the start of World War II, and Suspicion is one of his most notable cinematic contributions.
A Toast!
This is the film that earned Joan Fontaine her only Academy Award. Some film historians believe that part of the reason why she won the Oscar was simply because she failed to acquire an Academy Award the year before for her leading role in Rebecca (1940). Nevertheless, Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant share excellent on-screen chemistry together within a mysterious thriller set against a lush score that Franz Waxman composed.
Verdict
Suspicion and deception are key elements that have helped Sir Alfred Hitchcock’s legacy endure, and Suspicion again proves that he truly is a cinematic auteur.
Suspicion (1941) Bonus Drinking Game
Take a Drink: every time Johnnie (Cary Grant) calls Lina (Joan Fontaine) the nickname “Monkey Face”
Take a Sip: every time characters speak the word, “murder,” repeatedly
And Do Not Be Sober: during the thrilling ending of this “Best Picture” nominee
