George Cukor’s 1944 psychological thriller still holds up as a stylish mystery, and features one of star Ingrid Bergman’s best performances as a strong woman being driven into madness. Set at the dawn of the 20th century, the story (based on a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton) begins with the offscreen murder of famous opera singer Alice Alquist. The unknown killer’s search for jewels in the diva’s house is interrupted by Alice’s teenage niece, Paula (Bergman), who is sent off to Italy to forget the tragedy and pursue a singing career. Instead, Paula falls for a debonair pianist, Gregory (Charles Boyer), who she marries after a whirlwind romance. Reluctantly returning—at Gregory’s insistence—to the London home where Alice died, Paula agrees to Gregory’s suggestion that all of Alice’s furniture be moved to the attic and replaced for a fresh start. Over time, Gregory reveals himself to be a soft tyrant, taking charge of Paula’s freedom of movement, blocking her social life, and making sure that she believes she has chronic forgetfulness, loses track of valuables, and commits mischief that she can’t recall. The longer Paula insists that she is not responsible for Gregory’s charges, the more she doubts her sanity, a fear that grows every night as she hears phantom footsteps in the attic and witnesses gas lamps dimming with no explanation. Joseph Cotten is sharp as a take-charge Scotland Yard inspector who sees the underhanded campaign against Paula, and an 18-year-old Angela Lansbury is memorable as a house servant who is equal parts snark and flirtatiousness. The film’s title has entered the American lexicon as a verb meaning to manipulate someone by psychological means into questioning their own sanity. Extras include the original 1940 British version, a 1946 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast, a retrospective featurette, and a vintage newsreel. Recommended. (T. Keogh)
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