Gaslight Reviews

Remakes are often (and righteously) seen as the blight of the film industry but that is not the case here in this elegant reworking of a lean and muscular Brit classic. Hollywood's magic is in hard evidence with better writing, camera work, lighting and sound than the original. And then there is the cast. A woman in a fashionable London townhouse, seemingly alone, cut off, in doubt of her own sanity, wonders if she's ruined what once seemed a happy marriage. Bergman won an Oscar, but everyone brings home the bacon here.

A very Hitchcockian thriller, if not close to the quality of the best movies by Hitchcock or his imitators. The plot (involving a woman who slowly seems to be losing her grip on reality...or is she?) probably was much more effective in 1944, now this kind of thing has been done so many times that it seems painfully transparent from the very beginning. Gaslight isn't a bad movie, but it lacks the timeless quality that makes so many classics as good today (or even better) than they were when they were made.

Kudos to Ingrid Bergman, though, who is mesmerizing in the last half of the movie. She's truly one of the greatest actresses of all time.

Similar to other suspense movies of the forties, but still a pretty powerful story. I really like this movie.

A superb psychological thriller about a husband who is slowly driving his wife insane (yeah, that never happens...)

Ingrid Bergman is the victim of Charles Boyer's sadistic mindgames in 1944's "Gaslight", a gothic film noir set in turn-of-the-century London. Paula (Bergman) moves to Paris after finding her aunt, a famous singer, strangled to death in their home. While training to follow in her aunt's performing footsteps, she's swept off her feet by the debonair pianist, Gregory Anton (Boyer, in an evil "Peppy La Pue" sort of performance). In no time, they're married, but things go quickly downhill for Paula, as Gregory first moves them into the house where her aunt was murdered and then systematically beats her sanity down with mind games designed to make her think she's going mad. The mystery here isn't so much whether or not she's going mad (we know she isnt'), but why her husband wants to do this to her. The suspense builds as we wonder how it's going to end, and who (or what) will, or can stop him. Ingrid Berman is fantastic as the tortured wife (as well she should be, she does it again in Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious"), and I enjoyed the love triangle between her Boyer, and Joseph Cotten, who's Scotland Yard detective (without even an attempt at a British accent) gets one of those famous noir "hunches", and re-opens the case of the long dead singer who once autographed a glove for him. Director George Cukor does a near hitchcock-like job making of this film creepy and eerie, and I love the title and the role it plays in the film.

Probably my favorite Ingrid Bergman performance. In this film she plays Paula, a young wife who is being slowly driven mad by her scheming husband, Gregory (Charles Boyer)...or is she? You actually can feel her pain and her panic as she starts losing her grip on reality. By the time of the wonderful cliimax, you think maybe she really DID go around the bend. Boyer is condescending and evil as the husband. A very young, beautiful Angela Lansbury is a bit on the evil side too as the tacky-trashy Cockney-accented housekeeper Nancy. I enjoyed her performance because it's so different from the wise kindly women she played later in her career. And Joseph Cotten is good as the neighbor and Scotland Yard detective who puts together the pieces on what is really going on. The kindness he showed to Paula was touching to me. But this is ultimately Ingrid's movie. Brilliant.

Far better than My overrated Fair Lardy

atmospheric, great period detail. Ingrid Bergman and the rest of the cast are first rate.

Lansbury and Cotten in supporting roles are wonderful. The tension is built carefully. The gas powered lights around the home Bergman and Boyer have moved into flicker with suspense. In this case, I think this version of the same basic story as Hitchcock's Suspicion, from three years earlier, is the more fulfilling thriller.

Gaslight is incredibly atmospheric with rich set designs and grand cinematography. The film unfortunately hinges largely on the performance of Ingrid Bergman, who is marvelous in the film but we spend so much time with her character that her decent into madness moves at a snails pace more than the artistic slow-burn they were undoubtedly going for. Although the film is masterfully made it falls short of the "classic" status for me. It could have benefited from a shorter run-time or a memorable side character to keep the audience more interested, especially since time (and numerous explorations of similar themed films by the likes of Hitchcock and such) has made the ending a bit predictable.

A pretty darn good psychological thriller, wherein a husband slowly tries to drive his wife mad by subtly manipulating the environment around her and then denying that her perception has any basis in reality.
I love the setting- an old Victorian home right in London, England. I thought the acting was great but wasn't exactly blown away by Ingrid Bergman's acting considering she won an Oscar for Lead Actress that year.
After I saw the film I heard the expression, "He's gaslighting her," which is an awesome use of the title of the film (which was originally a play.)

If it weren't for its cinematography and the performances of Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, "Gaslight" would be another run-of-the-mill noir. George Cukor isn't any Hitchcock, but he directs suspense quite well, and Joseph Cotten proves himself to be one of the most underappreciated actors of all time with another one of his classically understated performance.

A great document of how 'gaslighting' works as a real form of psychological abuse. Masterpiece of acting and film noir, as well as psychologically-accurate storytelling.

I thought the plot sounded interesting, but it was dealt with horribly. There was no suspense, it was predictable, the characters were flat and boring and everyone [except Joseph Cotten] overacted.

Gaslight is a 1944 mystery-thriller film adapted from Patrick Hamilton's play performed as Angel Street on Broadway in 1941. It was the second version to be filmed; the first, released in Great Britain, had been made a mere four years earlier. This 1944 version of the story was directed by George Cukor and starred Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten, and eighteen-year-old Angela Lansbury in her screen debut. This remake had a larger scale and budget and lends a different feel to the material.
Terrifying psichological thriller, with great performances.Clsssic in my collection now.

Very over the top suspense/drama that is very much like a not so hot version of Rebecca.

Surprisingly good psychological thriller. Great acting by the leads and good story to back em up. Don't miss Angela Lansbury in a supporting role as Nancy.

This American version of the 1940 British production still has the same atmospheric uncertainty. This version however has bigger heavyweights in Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotton and Cahrles Boyer. It is great psychological thriller that literally plays with your mind. Berman's Oscar-wiining performance is the perfect example of someone losing their mind. Both version are great, but if you prefer named stars, than this version is the best.

Grade: A-

What a surprisingly fun thriller this was! Bergman is perfect here as a woman thought to be losing her mind due to a mentally abusive husband. The plot had me a hooked and doesn't disappoint as it continues to unravel.
The film also looks stunning thanks to George Cukor's direction and some fantastic soundstage sets. Even the fake foggy streets of London look wonderful here.
Also, watching this gives you a chance to check out Angela Lansbury in her very first film role as the cheeky maid. So good.

a somewhat predictable but nonetheless incredibly satisfying thriller. Charles Boyer plays an absolute master of mind games and manipulation and Bergman is both naively trusting and recognizably strong. a nice film debut for Lansbury as well. much as I enjoyed May Whitty's character, I didn't see how she was all that important to the overall story. I thought the very last scene was a bit contrived, too--a little too "campy happy ending" for my liking. overall, though, a very solid and suspenseful film.