Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant star in this devilish thriller about a shy English lass married to a dashing, charming man, one who may or may not be a murderer. Similar to Hitchcock's earlier Rebecca (which starred Fontaine and Laurence Olivier) in its “awkward-wife-fearful-of-powerful-husband” theme, Suspicion is energized by the irrepressible presence of Grant (in his first role with Hitchcock), who combines the witty appeal of his earlier comedies with the suave, manor-born entitlement of his more serious roles. Tackling class boundaries, newlywed unease, and the nature of trust, Suspicion was weakened by multiple script changes by a frightened studio who wanted Grant's character to be as likable as possible. Chabrol would fashion an entire career out of updating Hitchcock's take on marital uncertainty and unease; unlike Hitchcock, however, he didn't have a star system to please, and could allow his “Cary Grant” husbands to be charming, immoral, and far deadlier.