English Pyscho-Ingrid Bergman’s “Gaslight” (1944)-A Film Review

DVD Review

By Sandy Salmon

Gaslight, starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotte n, 1944

Lowering gaslights (indicating pre-electric light times, 19^th century times), strange noises from the attic and deep London fog which aids in nefarious work. All the ingredients for a full-blown old-time example of a suspense film without any gore or pyrotechnics. Oh yes, and a mad man obsessed by something which is driving him beyond the edges of rationality. This is what drives this first-rate classic Gaslight which garnered the beautiful and talented Ingrid Bergman last seen in this space playing the loyal wife, well kind of loyal wife, of Nazi-resister Victor Lazlo in the film Casablanca her first Oscar.          

Here’s why beyond her beauty and the depth of her performance in the part. Paula, Ms. Bergman’s role, is a sensitive and reserved young woman having had her famous opera singer aunt whom she lived with as a young girl murdered for unknown reasons. Paula follows in her footsteps or tries to. Then love enters the scene. The love of a pianist, Gregory, or whatever his real name was as we shall find out, played by Charles Boyer (whom I do not recall having mentioned in this space previously) who sweeps her off her feet. They marry and return (at his request) to the London house where Paula came of age.

Then the craziness begins. Craziness egged on by our boy Gregory who has an ulterior motive for attempting to undermine Paula’s sanity. A goodly portion of the film is spent on detailing the many vulgar and nefarious ways Gregory plays out his hand. He almost had her over the edge (with help from that noise in the attic, the London fog and those damn flickering gaslights-and a little help by the snooty housemaid played by a very young Angela Lansbury).     

Naturally this torture can’t, or won’t, go on forever, because of a chance encounter with one Inspector Cameron, played by Joseph Cotton, last seen in this space hunting down like a dog his old friend Harry Lyme in Vienna who had gone over his own deep end. The Inspector had been an admirer of Paula’s aunt as a child and wondered about the craziness going on between Paula and Gregory. Once he stepped in you knew it was curtains for the dastardly Gregory. Yeah, the mad monk Gregory had in his younger “wanting” habits days killed the aunt with the idea of grabbing her precious jewels and living the high life instead of being a stumblebum pianist for budding students. The whole ruse was to get control of that London house so he could grab the jewels hidden somewhere up in the attic in peace. All he will get in the end will be the hangman’s noose. A little loose in places and some of Ms. Bergman’s emoting seemed overdrawn but a very good suspense film without like I said gore or bells and whistles.