22 Comments

  1. Great review. Boyer’s character is totally heartless. A great villain.
    Ingrid’s scene with him at the end makes you want to shout out and cheer her.

  2. This is one of my fave films because of the things you pointed out – Ingrid Bergman’s expressive face and the deceptively chilling Charles Boyer.

    I agree with the previous commenter re: Ingrid’s last scene with Boyer. I want to stand and cheer every time.

    Thanks for participating in the blogathon and profiling this exceptional film.

  3. this is one of the first classic movies I saw, and what a memorable one to see so early on. Ingrid was one of the very best and this is a fine example of why. Boyer seems to do little but played so well on his romantic image and spun it to something so creepy. Nice pick and thanks for contributing!

  4. I’ve only seen this on stage and in the 1940 British film with Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard, which was on TV in the UK recently and is powerful stuff, but hope to get the chance to compare this version soon. Bergman and Boyer are both great and you make it sound like a must.

  5. John

    I love Bergman and this movie. I always though this movie and The Spiral Staircase would make a great double feature.

  6. I really like how you explained that the reason she couldn’t believe he was the problem was because she loved him so much. It was easier for her to think she was losing her mind. Great insight! This is one of my favorite movies, also. My husband and I often tease each other when we can’t find something that maybe it is with the picture, referring to this film. It is one that has haunted me ever since I first saw it, and it was fun reading your post about it.

  7. What’s so chilling to me is how Boyer gets Bergman to be completely, utterly dependent on him while slowly isolating her from everyone else…so scary! It’s so easy to see how she would start to think that she was mad since the one person in her life, the man she loves and trusts, conspires against her! Boyer is such a clever, sadistic villain! Thanks for a great review!

  8. Although I love Bergman, it’s Boyer that makes Gaslight for me. I didn’t expect him to be such a convincing villain but I’m always glad he proved me wrong!

  9. I greatly enjoyed your write-up on Gaslight, one of my favorite films. It’s one of those that I always have to watch to the end whenever I happen across it. I also have grown to appreciate Charles Boyer’s villainy more with each viewing — he’s really awful!

    • Thanks, Karen. I hadn’t watched it in a few years and was surprised when I watched it again how much I remembered. I think it’s just that wonderful & creepy. I flinched the first time I saw him again on the screen. Leah

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