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Hantise

Original title: Gaslight
  • 1944
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 54m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
33K
YOUR RATING
Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Joseph Cotten in Hantise (1944)
Trailer for this strange story of a criminals love for a great beauty
Play trailer1:54
1 Video
99+ Photos
CrimeDramaMystery

Ten years after her aunt was murdered in their London home, a woman returns from Italy in the 1880s to resume residence with her new husband. His obsessive interest in the home rises from a ... Read allTen years after her aunt was murdered in their London home, a woman returns from Italy in the 1880s to resume residence with her new husband. His obsessive interest in the home rises from a secret that may require driving his wife insane.Ten years after her aunt was murdered in their London home, a woman returns from Italy in the 1880s to resume residence with her new husband. His obsessive interest in the home rises from a secret that may require driving his wife insane.

  • Director
    • George Cukor
  • Writers
    • John Van Druten
    • Walter Reisch
    • John L. Balderston
  • Stars
    • Charles Boyer
    • Ingrid Bergman
    • Joseph Cotten
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    33K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George Cukor
    • Writers
      • John Van Druten
      • Walter Reisch
      • John L. Balderston
    • Stars
      • Charles Boyer
      • Ingrid Bergman
      • Joseph Cotten
    • 192User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 6 wins & 7 nominations total

    Videos1

    Gaslight
    Trailer 1:54
    Watch Gaslight

    Photos169

    Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten in Hantise (1944)
    Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Angela Lansbury in Hantise (1944)
    "Gaslight" Joseph Cotton, Director Goerge Cukor, Ingrid Bergman 1944 MGM

    Top cast

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    Charles Boyer
    Charles Boyer
    • Gregory Anton
    Ingrid Bergman
    Ingrid Bergman
    • Paula Alquist
    Joseph Cotten
    Joseph Cotten
    • Brian Cameron
    May Whitty
    May Whitty
    • Miss Thwaites
    • (as Dame May Whitty)
    Angela Lansbury
    Angela Lansbury
    • Nancy
    Barbara Everest
    Barbara Everest
    • Elizabeth
    Emil Rameau
    • Maestro Guardi
    Edmund Breon
    Edmund Breon
    • General Huddleston
    Halliwell Hobbes
    Halliwell Hobbes
    • Mr. Mufflin
    Tom Stevenson
    • Williams
    Heather Thatcher
    Heather Thatcher
    • Lady Dalroy
    Lawrence Grossmith
    • Lord Dalroy
    Jakob Gimpel
    Jakob Gimpel
    • Pianist
    Harry Adams
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Lassie Lou Ahern
    Lassie Lou Ahern
    • Young Girl
    • (uncredited)
    John Ardizoni
    • Cab Man
    • (uncredited)
    Frank Baker
    Frank Baker
    • Pedestrian
    • (uncredited)
    Wilson Benge
    Wilson Benge
    • Pedestrian
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Cukor
    • Writers
      • John Van Druten
      • Walter Reisch
      • John L. Balderston
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      When this movie was produced, MGM attempted to have all prints of the previous version, Hantise (1940), destroyed. These efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, though the movie was rarely seen for the next few decades.
    • Goofs
      When Paula finds the letter in her aunt's music score, Gregory crumples up the letter and jams it into his pocket. Later, when she finds the letter in Gregory's desk, it's neatly folded, with no evidence of crumpling.
    • Quotes

      Paula Alquist Anton: If I were not mad, I could have helped you. Whatever you had done, I could have pitied and protected you. But because I am mad, I hate you. Because I am mad, I have betrayed you. And because I'm mad, I'm rejoicing in my heart, without a shred of pity, without a shred of regret, watching you go with glory in my heart!

    • Crazy credits
      The opening and closing credits are displayed over a background of a burning gaslight. If you look at the shadow on the wallpaper, you see a man strangling a woman.
    • Alternate versions
      Exists in a computer-colorized version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972)
    • Soundtracks
      Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
      (1835-36) (uncredited)

      Music by Frédéric Chopin

    User reviews192

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Solidly-written ground-breaking psychological mystery; it's Bergman's show
    "Gaslight" (1944) was in its time first a play by Patrick Hamilton and next a psychological thriller of great influence. Since the work was directed by George Cukor, one expects fine performances, and the film delivers several of these; it is in fact unusually well-done in many respects in my judgment. The screenplay by John Van Druten, Walter Reisch and John Balderston has also been widely admired for retaining the theatrical tension of the original work. As produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr., this intelligent but somewhat unsettling drama features understated music by Bronislau Kaper, the fine cinematography of Joseph Ruttenberg, art direction by the great Cedric Gibbons, unusually good set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and costumes design by Irene (Sharaff). But because of the understatement of its scenes, the lack of large scenes of action and image, and the sheer amount of its meaningful dialog, it is an actor's film. The minor players such as Dame May Witty as the heroine's neighbor, Tom Stevenson as Wlliams the policeman, Angela Lansbury as the saucy aid, Barbar Everest as the faithful maid Elizabeth, Emil Rmeau as the maestro, Heather Thatcher as Lady Dalroy, Halliwell Hobbes and Edmund Breon and Lawrence Grossman range in ability from good to exceptional. As the policeman who discerns what is going on that troubles the heroine, played by Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten is dashing, attractive and acceptable as both potential lover and man of action. Charles Boyer has in this film a thankless role, that of a devouring immoralist who has only two possible moods-- brief burst of anger needing to be controlled and an exuded charm that must be slightly overdone at times. These moods he plays very professionally at all points, his timing being not the least of his accomplishments during the film. In the difficult role of a Victorian young woman of intelligence, honesty and vulnerability, Oscar winner Ingrid Bergman earns the award by sustaining a sunny and intelligent personality undergoing a series of slowly-revealed and subtle attacks from her husband, who is trying to convince her she is incapable of independent function. Everything in the film--lighting, use of flights of stairs, objects, blocking, gestures, observers, character and dialog contribute to the overall effect. Even the title, referring to the mysterious changes in the lighting of the house Bergman and Boyer inhabit has meaning here. The film is not a sunny one; but the suspense is in my opinion rather admirably sustained. In tribute to its quality as a drama, I can only say that in the more than six decades since the film was created, no imitation of its male to female menace has come close to achieving anything really approaching its sterling qualities. To have ushered in a sub-genre--the Victorian menaced-female type, and set so high a mark is no small feat. The mystery's solid construction and simplicity of design certainly play a part in the building of its sustained fascination.
    helpful•35
    2
    • silverscreen888
    • Jul 24, 2007

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    FAQ27

    • How long is Gaslight?Powered by Alexa
    • So which one is better, this one or the one from 1940?They're both very different to one another and it's worth watching them both back to back. The 1944 version is much longer, therefore, the 1940 version moves somewhat quicker. I preferred the 1944 version.Since MGM decided to do a remake, it is disappointing they didn't loosen the purse strings a bit and do it in colour. That would really have upsurped the British version, but it wasn't to be
    • What is 'Gaslight' about?
    • Is "Gaslight" based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 1, 1947 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Gaslight
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 54 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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