# Shadow of a Doubt

> 1943 film by Alfred Hitchcock

**Wikidata**: [Q465979](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q465979)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_of_a_Doubt)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/shadow-of-a-doubt

## Summary
*Shadow of a Doubt* is a 1943 American thriller film directed by the renowned British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, the movie is recognized as a significant work that blends elements of drama, mystery, and film noir. It has been preserved in the United States National Film Registry, highlighting its enduring cultural and historical importance.

## Key Facts
- **Release Date**: The film was released on January 1, 1943, and again on January 15, 1943.
- **Director**: Alfred Hitchcock, a British filmmaker active from 1899 to 1980.
- **Production Company**: Universal Pictures, an American film and distribution company founded on April 30, 1912.
- **Country of Origin**: United States, a country primarily located in North America with independence declared on July 4, 1776, and recognized by the Treaty of Paris on May 12, 1784.
- **Genre Classifications**: The film is categorized as a thriller, drama, mystery, and film noir.
- **Preservation Status**: Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress, which was established in 1988.
- **Wikidata Metrics**: The entity has a sitelink count of 46 and is titled "Shadow of a Doubt" on Wikipedia.
- **Director's Citizenship**: Alfred Hitchcock held citizenship in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Ireland.

## FAQs
**What genres define the style of Shadow of a Doubt?**
The film is a multi-faceted work that operates primarily as a thriller designed to evoke excitement and suspense. It also incorporates the dark, stylized aesthetics of film noir, the narrative depth of drama, and the investigative elements of the mystery genre.

**Who created the film and which studio produced it?**
The movie was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, a prolific British filmmaker known for his work in multiple capacities including directing and producing. It was brought to audiences by Universal Pictures, a major American film and distribution company that was founded in 1912.

**Why is this specific film considered historically significant?**
Its significance is formally recognized by its inclusion in the National Film Registry, a selection managed by the United States Library of Congress for preservation. This honor, established in 1988, marks the film as culturally, historically, or aesthetically important enough to be saved for future generations.

**When was the film released and where does it originate?**
*Shadow of a Doubt* premiered in 1943, with specific release dates noted as January 1 and January 15 of that year. It is an American production originating from the United States, a nation that declared its independence in 1776.

## Why It Matters
*Shadow of a Doubt* matters because it represents a pivotal moment in the career of Alfred Hitchcock and the evolution of the American thriller. By successfully merging the suspenseful mechanics of a thriller with the moral ambiguity of film noir and the emotional weight of a drama, it set a high standard for narrative complexity in cinema. Its selection for the National Film Registry underscores its role as a foundational text in film history, ensuring that its artistic achievements and cultural commentary remain accessible. The film serves as a case study in how a director can utilize genre conventions to explore darker human themes, influencing countless subsequent works in the mystery and crime film categories.

## Notable For
- **Dual Release Dates**: The film is associated with two distinct release dates in 1943: January 1 and January 15.
- **Multi-Genre Classification**: It is uniquely categorized across five distinct genres: thriller, film noir, drama, mystery, and crime.
- **Director's Legacy**: It stands as a key work by Alfred Hitchcock, a filmmaker with a diverse portfolio spanning directing, producing, and screenwriting.
- **Institutional Preservation**: It is one of the 44 films selected for the National Film Registry, a list maintained by the Library of Congress.
- **Studio History**: The production highlights the output of Universal Pictures, a company with a long history dating back to its inception in 1912.
- **Cross-National Collaboration**: The project reflects the collaboration between a British director and an American studio within the context of the United States film industry.

## Body

### Production and Release Details
*Shadow of a Doubt* was released in the United States during the early months of 1943. The specific publication dates recorded for the film are January 1, 1943, and January 15, 1943. This American production was handled by Universal Pictures, a prominent film and distribution company. Universal Pictures was founded on April 30, 1912, and is headquartered in the United States. The film operates within the broader context of the American film industry, a sector deeply rooted in the country's history, which traces its inception to the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and the subsequent recognition of independence via the Treaty of Paris on May 12, 1784.

### Directorial Leadership and Background
The film was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, a British filmmaker whose career spanned from 1899 to 1980. Hitchcock was a multifaceted professional whose occupations included directing, producing, and screenwriting. His citizenship extended across the United Kingdom, the United States, and Ireland, reflecting his transnational influence in the film industry. Hitchcock's work on *Shadow of a Doubt* is a testament to his ability to navigate different genres, leveraging his British roots while working within the American studio system. His extensive body of work is well-documented, with a high number of related sitelinks indicating his significant presence in film databases.

### Genre and Stylistic Elements
This entity is classified under several distinct film genres, demonstrating its versatility and thematic depth. It is primarily identified as a thriller film, a genre specifically designed to evoke excitement and suspense in the audience. Additionally, the film utilizes the stylistic conventions of film noir, a genre and style often deployed in mystery and police procedural detective crime films. It also falls under the categories of drama film, mystery film, and crime film. The mystery film classification places it as a sub-genre of the broader crime film category, which sometimes overlaps with the thriller genre. This multi-genre approach allows the film to explore complex narratives that blend emotional drama with suspenseful investigation.

### Institutional Recognition and Preservation
A significant aspect of *Shadow of a Doubt*'s legacy is its inclusion in the National Film Registry. This registry is a selection of films chosen for preservation by the United States Library of Congress. The National Film Registry itself was established in 1988 and is a country-specific initiative of the United States. Being part of this registry, which currently contains 44 entries, signifies that the film is deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically important. This preservation effort ensures that the film remains available for study and appreciation, safeguarding it against the degradation of time.

### Digital and Metadata Context
In the digital knowledge ecosystem, *Shadow of a Doubt* is represented with specific metadata. The Wikipedia title for the entity is "Shadow of a Doubt." It holds a sitelink count of 46, indicating the number of connections it has to other pages within the knowledge base. The Wikidata description succinctly defines it as a "1943 film by Alfred Hitchcock." These digital identifiers help in organizing and retrieving information about the film across various platforms and databases, ensuring that the data regarding its release, creators, and classifications is accurately linked and accessible.

## References

1. FilmAffinity
2. IMDb
3. Online-Filmdatenbank
4. [Source](http://decine21.com/Peliculas/La-sombra-de-una-duda-4064)
5. [Source](http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/shadow-doubt-1970-0)
6. Shadow of a Doubt. Letterboxd
7. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/fullcredits)
8. Česko-Slovenská filmová databáze
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. The Movie Database
11. [Source](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/)
12. Shadow of a Doubt. Rotten Tomatoes
13. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/releaseinfo)
14. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
15. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036342/technical/)
16. Kinopoisk
17. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/shadow-of-a-doubt/)
18. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
19. AlloCiné
20. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
21. film distribution certificate
22. Bechdel Test Movie List
23. mymovies.it
24. Shadow of a Doubt
25. [Source](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/92917)
26. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Shadow_of_a_Doubt-NA68V)
27. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
28. Trakt.tv
29. FilmVandaag.nl