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).

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

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActressJoan FontaineWon
Best PictureRKO RadioNominated
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BlogHub Articles:

“Suspicion” drives a wedge between Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine

By Stephen Reginald on Oct 21, 2025 From Classic Movie Man

“Suspicion” drives a wedge between Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine Suspicion (1941) is an American mystery-suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. The supporting cast includes Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, and Leo G. C... Read full article


"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: Ma... 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


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Quotes from

[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.


[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.


read more quotes from Suspicion...

Facts about

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.
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.
read more facts about Suspicion...
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Best Actress Oscar 1941






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Also directed by Alfred Hitchcock




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Also produced by Harry E. Edington




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