A really excellent movie. I'd heard of it, of course - the film's title helped inspire the famous term "gaslighting" - but had never seen it until recently. I think it would easily rank with one of the best movies that Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten and George Cukor ever made.
The MGM team seem to have gotten excited at the prospect of making some Victorian gothic romance and responded with impressive period detail. It's very atmospheric and beautifully shot and the three leads all suit the period setting. I was surprised MGM would feel as though they had to borrow all three but they are all superb... Bergman so beautiful and fragile (she always looked dazed when in love... important for this role since her character is manipulated), Boyer handsome and driven and manipulative, Cotten is amiable and smart (I never felt Cotten was a proper star but he was a first rate leading man).
What gives the piece unexpected freshness is the emotional manipulation - Boyer is abusing his wife by playing tricks, trying to drive her insane. This has incredible resonance today where domestic violence is such a hot topic. Boyer isn't physically violent to Bergman but he treats her terribly - the scenes are powerful to watch.
His plan is extremely complicated and I didn't quite buy he'd go to such effort - I had this problem with Patrick Hamilton's original play as well. I also felt the last confrontation between Boyer and Bergman might have been more effective if Boyer had more of a chance to get away.
Angela Lansbury shines in a choice support role as a vicious made. Dame May Whitty does her Dame May Whitty thing. It's a really good movie.
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