James "Jimmy" Stewart is a beloved national treasure and one of the few Hollywood stars of the golden era who maintained an unimpeachable reputation as a faithful husband and war hero. Despite his public persona as a "gee shucks" goody-two-shoes, Stewart's film roles were often more complex. Audiences in the 1950s struggled to accept Stewart's most dark and twisted role in Hitchcock's "Vertigo," but this wasn't the first time he had dipped his toe in murkier waters.

Stewart was best known for his instantly recognizable voice, a drawn-out drawl that was softly soothing, with line deliveries full of well-timed pauses. Stewart also stammered when his characters got excited or angry, which became another famous and much-imitated trademark. Despite only being an inch taller than Cary Grant, Stewart seemed much taller due to his slender frame and long face. He towered over his leading ladies, which increased the romanticism of...