Classic Film Guide

Gaslight (1944)

Ingrid Bergman won the first of her three Oscars (Best Actress, in this case), on her second nomination, playing a newlywed to Charles Boyer's mysterious character. Boyer was also nominated, his third of four Best Actor Academy Award nominations without a win. Bergman's character fears that she's going mad when strange things (including sounds) start happening at the family mansion. She finds that her new husband is not very supportive. Angela Lansbury, who received her first of three Supporting Actress nominations in her very first film, plays their servant. Joseph Cotten plays a friend of Bergman's character, who fears for her; twice nominated Supporting Actress Dame May Whitty also appears as one who loves murder mysteries. The film was nominated for an Oscar (e.g. as Best Picture), as was its Screenplay co-written by John L. Balderston (The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)), John Van Druten, and Walter Reisch. It won for B&W Art Direction-Interior Decoration and also received a nomination for B&W Cinematography. Directed by George Cukor and based on the Patrick Hamilton play, it's #78 on AFI's 100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies list.

A remake of the British film Gaslight (1940) and stage play Angel Street.

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