The Search for Bridey Murphy (1956)

After being shown what hypnotism can do, a Doctor sets out to study it in depth. When experimenting on his friend's wife, she regresses back to an earlier life- that of Bridey Murphy. ... See full summary »

Director:

Noel Langley

Writers:

Morey Bernstein (book), Noel Langley

Stars:

Teresa Wright, Louis Hayward, Nancy Gates

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Teresa Wright	...	Ruth Simmons
Louis Hayward	...	Morey Bernstein
Nancy Gates	...	Hazel Bernstein
Kenneth Tobey	...	Rex Simmons
Richard Anderson	...	Dr. Deering
Tom McKee	...	Catlett
Janet Riley	...	Lois Morgan
Charles Boaz	...	Jerry Thomas
Lawrence Fletcher	...	Cranmer
Charles Maxwell	...	Father Bernard
Walter Kingsford	...	Professor
Noel Leslie	...	Edgar Cayce
William Joseph Barker	...	Himself (as William J. Barker)
Eilene Janssen	...	Bridey Murphy at Age 15
Bradford Jackson	...	Brian MacCarthy at Age 17

Storyline

After being shown what hypnotism can do, a Doctor sets out to study it in depth. When experimenting on his friend's wife, she regresses back to an earlier life- that of Bridey Murphy. Several hypnotic sessions explore the life and death of Murphy, a 19th Century Irish lady who lived in Cork and Belfast from 1798 to 1864. The Doctor then attempts to verify if Bridey Murphy really existed.

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Plot Keywords:

hypnotism | reincarnation | based on book | character name in title

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

La vita oltre la vita

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Bridey" is pronounced "Briddy", short for "Bridget".

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Connections

Referenced in The She-Creature (1956)

User Reviews

Brave little movie.

At the time of release of this film from the book, The Search for Bridey Murphy (1956), the concept of reincarnation was virtually unknown to the masses in the Western World. Today, some 56 years later, it has become fact to many scholars and researchers in this part of the world. Internationally known physicians, specializing in psychiatry, now spend their lives in its research and work in its further exploration. The real miracle of this little, low budget film is that it was made at all at a time of fear and ignorance of one of the basic keystones of ontology.

The book itself is rather shallow as the film but this is probably due to the lack of comprehension of not just the subject of reincarnation but hypnosis itself, which was then not a widely practiced form of psychotherapy. At that time, religionists and their authoritarian scripture heavily controlled the subject of human consciousness much as it is in the Middle East today.

At this writing, schools teach self-hypnosis. It is understood to be a method of focusing and nothing fearful, reprehensible or a dangerous practice of some mysterious Rasputin. In addition, it is known that regression itself is a simple guided focusing and not some bizarre scheme of being controlled by someone else. No one can control anyone else through hypnosis. They can only suggest and persuade. It is up to the subject to accept or reject the persuasion.

Edgar Cayce, who is briefly mentioned in this film, is now honored for his life's work and anyone can join the internationally important Association of Research and Enlightenment in Virginia Beach, Virginia to study his life and work as well as research into consciousness.

The movie barely introduces the subject but it does so in a very believable way and with a lot of courage.