Gaslight, based on a play by Patrick Hamilton
A different
version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E
and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
Gaslight is
a first rate drama.
It is
included on the New York Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made List:
It is
directed by the genius George Cukor.
The man
behind such classics as:
-
My Fair Lady, The Philadelphia
Story, Adam’s Rib and more
In the
leading roles we have Ingrid Bergman, who won the Academy Award and the Golden
Globe for Best Actress in a leading role.
Indeed, her
portrayal of Paula Alquist is sublime.
In the
other leading role we have Charles Boyer as Gregory Anton.
And he is
terrific as well.
Paula Alquist
is a young woman who is taking singing lessons in the first scenes of the film,
with a famous professor.
Accompanying
her on the piano is Gregory Anton.
In a
discussion with the professor, the singer mentions the fact that she will never
achieve the status of her aunt.
The older
man is sure that there is something very important that is distracting his
pupil, perhaps she is in love?
-
Well, as soon as the singer is out
the door, we see her talking and embracing the piano player and planning a trip
In the
train, an English woman talks to Paula about a mysterious murder that took
place right across from her house.
As the
young woman is getting ever more upset, the details of the crime are revealed,
as long as they are known.
But the
station of her destination is here and Paula descends in Como, where she is met
by the man she loves.
Gregory Anton
is a very challenging role, for this is a sophisticated, educated, talented
player and composer.
His manners
are refined, his charm is impressive, the appearance is that of an aristocrat
and he is definitely a gentleman.
Only it
becomes clear that behind this attractive façade, we have a devilish individual
with dark purposes in mind.
He insists
that he would like to live in London, where the homeless are unhappy, but which
is the best place to be for people who have a home, on a square.
Paula Alquist
has the proper mansion, left as inheritance to her by the opera celebrity, her
aunt who was killed right near the home of the woman in the train.
Once they
are married and moved into the London home, Gregory Anton is showing his true
colors, right as Paula finds a letter and he shouts that she needs to give it
to him and the audience can see this is a villain.
He accuses
is wife of stealing paintings, losing precious objects and imagining things
like footsteps at night.
His plan is
to drive the poor spouse crazy, in a sort of reverse of the Pygmalion Effect, a
psychological phenomenon that has proved that if you believe strongly that someone
is able to achieve success, that happens.
When he
gives his wife a brooch, he then steals it to claim she is so mad she does not
know what she is doing.
In a sort
of climax, in the middle of a concert with a large crowd in attendance, Gregory
Anton claims his watch had been stolen.
He knows
this will provoke a crisis and a breakdown of his spouse, especially after he
checks her purse and finds his watch there.
Brian Cameron
is a detective that had been puzzled by the killing of the famous opera singer
and he represents the only hope for Paula.
She is
isolated in the house and her resilience is fast breaking up, faced with a
continuous attack from Gregory.
Capital film.
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