Gaslight (1944)

[7]

Ingrid Bergman won the first of her three Oscars for this psychological thriller from George Cukor. Bergman plays a woman increasingly traumatized by her husband, a thief who nearly succeeds in convincing her that she’s losing her mind. It’s easy to invest in a movie when someone’s being mean to Ingrid Bergman. I only wish that she were more empowered in the story’s third act. Instead, Joseph Cotten comes to her rescue. Charles Boyer is wickedly cool as the abusive husband and Angela Lansbury makes her big screen debut as Bergman’s slutty, condescending housekeeper.

Academy Awards: Best Actress (Ingrid Bergman), Black & White Art Direction

Nominations: Best Picture, Leading Actor (Charles Boyer), Supporting Actress (Angela Lansbury), Original Screenplay, Black & White Cinematography

Share Button