Memo from Samson Raphaelson (undated)

The following is a transcript of a memo from Samson Raphaelson to Hitchcock regarding the screenplay for Suspicion (1941), as reproduced in "Hitchcock's Notebooks".

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Transcript

MEMORANDUM

Dear Hitch:

Just a reminder of the few minor things we talked about —

1. In the car scene let Johnny use "monkey face" sparingly — I suggest not at all.

2. In the car scene I think it would enrich it if we put back Johnny's line about counting the number of women he has kissed like sheep over a fence, etc.

3. When Lina overhears her father and mother calling her a spinster — if, before Johnny is discovered, we could see him walking toward her, we would not have the feeling that he has overheard, which I think we may have at present. I don't think that feeling is good. If she thinks he has heard her parents calling her a spinster, she wouldn't be likely to kiss him.

4. In the scene between Isobel and Lina, I think we should cut Isobel's mention of Beaky's death, because if Isobel is aware of that and its parallel with the footbridge murder she's an idiot if she doesn't instantly suspect Johnny. Also, I think it's pretty obvious writing there to slam the parallel into the audience's face, the parallel being already so clear.

5. I also suggest that in the big final scene, she doesn't send Johnnie out, and then he comes back. We expect something to happen while Johnnie is out, and nothing happens. Besides, it makes all the longer our wait for the poison to work on her.

Raph