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Dayton Daily News (19/Apr/1995) - Indecision didn't hurt 'Suspicion' at box office

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Indecision didn't hurt 'Suspicion' at box office

Here is a another in a series of background stories on movies made by Alfred Hitchcock that are now being shown as part of the F.L.I.C.K.S. films every other weekend at the New Neon Movies, 130 E. Fifth St. The films are shown at 1 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, admission $3 and 7:30 p.m., Monday, admission, $6.

One of Alfred Hitchcock's most popular and successful films was Suspicion and yet, Hitchcock made the film for a very dishonest reason.

The film was based on an obscure 1932 British novel. RKO owned the film rights and in 1939, they intended to use it as scripts for Robert Montgomery and Geraldine Fitzgerald. Then the studio decided on Laurence Olivier and Maureen O'Hara.

The project was finally put into production when Cary Grant, star of RKO's screwball comedies, told the studio he wanted to play the villain.

RKO assigned Hitchcock to direct it because he insisted there was a sinister side in Grant's carefree debonair screen persona.

To portray the frustrated sister, Hitchcock made the odd suggestion of the 23-year-old star of Rebecca, Joan Fontaine.

The story was of a woman who rebels against her stodgy parents by marrying an irresponsible playboy. Slowly she comes to realize that he intends to kill her for her money.

Three writers, including Hitchcock's wife, spent three months adapting a screenplay. The result was two scripts with different endings.

RKO could not come to a decision on which ending to use. The studio ignored Hitchcock's wishes and plunged into a lavishly designed production. Hitchcock complained that the sets were too elaborate and the cinematography was so glossy, it looked like a phony MGM film.

But Hitchcock's real frustration was that RKO did not let him follow the storyline he liked. Since no one knew what the ending would be, even into the start of the filming, the actors weren't really sure how to play their roles.

The studio insisted that everyone's lack of focus was due to the film's lack of a title. The book's title, Before the Fact, had been discarded as ' ' too dull."

An expensive and foolish Gallup Poll came up with such names as Men Make Poor Husbands, Girl in the Vise, Last Lover and Sable Wings.

Finally, Hitchcock titled the film, Suspicion, and began to take the film in the direction he wanted to go.

Joan Fontaine later recalled the filming lasted for six months and was almost canceled because of the hopeless indecision.

There were essentially two versions: Hitchcock's and the studio's.

The preview audience rejected the RKO version in which Fontaine takes a lover and cheats on Grant.

The film was re-edited with Hitchcock's original ending.

When that ending was deemed controversial by the critics, Hitchcock began to say the ending was forced upon him and he never wanted it.

Despite negative response from the critics and Hitchcock himself, Suspicion became a box office smash.

Audiences today still find much to appreciate, such as the eerie expressionistic lighting and the wonderful score by Franz Waxman. It was one of the best films of 1941, which the critics believe is the apex of Hollywood film making.

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