Bewitched (1945)

A young woman has two distinct personalities, one of whom is evil and constantly gets her in trouble.

Director:

Arch Oboler

Writers:

Arch Oboler (adaptation), Arch Oboler (story)

Stars:

Phyllis Thaxter, Edmund Gwenn, Henry H. Daniels Jr.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Phyllis Thaxter	...	Joan Alris Ellis
Edmund Gwenn	...	Dr. Bergson
Henry H. Daniels Jr.	...	Bob Arnold
Addison Richards	...	John Ellis
Kathleen Lockhart	...	Mrs. Ellis
Francis Pierlot	...	Dr. George Wilton
Sharon McManus	...	Small Girl
Gladys Blake	...	Glenda
Will Wright	...	Mr. Herkheimer
Stephen McNally	...	Eric Russell (as Horace McNally)
Oscar O'Shea	...	Capt. O'Malley
Minor Watson	...	Governor
Virginia Brissac	...	Martha--Governor's Wife

Storyline

At her engagement party, Joan Ellis, your typical girl next door, acknowledges that the strange voice that she's heard all her life is coming from within herself. Joan's alter ego, a conniving and murderous woman named Karen, is becoming stronger and stronger and is threatening to take over her life. Joan negotiates with Karen. Although they do come to an agreement, Karen reneges on that agreement when the situation suits her. Karen ultimately wants the men in Joan's life, first her fiancé, Bob Arnold, then Eric Russell, a lawyer Joan meets in New York City. Joan does whatever she needs to to get rid of Karen, even if it a threat to her own life. Without knowing for certain what is wrong with Joan, those close to her, including Eric and Dr. Bergson, do whatever they can to save her.

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Plot Keywords:

schizophrenia | crime wave

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Taglines:

SHE LIVED TWO AMAZING LIVES! Darling of Society... Cruel Love-Killer

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 July 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alter Ego

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Dr. Bergson: Once in many, many millions of births, a body can have two divergent personalities living in the same brain.

User Reviews

"Two Divergent Personalities Living in the Same Brain"

Average yet enteraining story about a young girl being plagued with a voice inside telling her what to do. The girl breaks down and listens to the voice, moving across country leaving her family and fiancée behind to make a new start. The film then has a new man come into the girl's life when old wounds are re-opened and tragedy strikes. While nothing particularly inventive takes place, I rather liked the mood created throughout the film. The film opens with the female protagonist in jail for a crime she didn't yet did commit. Phyllis Thaxter as Joan, the troubled young lady with multiple personalities living inside her, gives a more than competent portrayal of this tortured woman, yet the film's story is rather weak and completely falls apart in the last third when some ridiculous scientific explanation is given for her aberrant behaviour. Edmund Gwenn plays a psychiatrist/family friend and gives the film a bit of credibility with his performance. The rest of the cast is adequate and the film is mildly entertaining. Hypnosis, the gas chamber, and playing with scissors are all explored.