My views: 10
I'm not sure exactly when I first saw this movie. It was one of the first films I saw in 2003, but I don't remember now if I'd seen it before then or not. I know we got it from the library, but I can't recall how I reacted or what initially made me want to watch it again. I just know why I keep watching it now, and it's almost entirely Ingrid Bergman's fault.
Seriously, I cannot get over her in this movie. She's always fabulous, but I think this is arguably her best performance. Charles Boyer is also brilliant as the creepy husband who tries to convince her she's going insane, but his Gregory's manipulative nature wouldn't be half as disturbing to me if I didn't care so much about Ingrid Bergman's Paula. She's so real and relateable that I genuinely feel for her very deeply. Rather than becoming numb to this film's disturbing nature with multiple viewings, I find myself becoming even more disturbed each time I watch it. But it's definitely disturbing in a good and very watchable way. Between Ingrid Bergman and, to an only slightly lesser degree, Charles Boyer, I become mesmerized every time. And then there's Joseph Cotten, although his character admittedly isn't nearly as interesting as the other main characters. Still, I find it refreshing to see him treat Paula the way she deserves to be treated after the way her husband abuses her, and Cotten does as much as possible with the limited role. The rest of the supporting cast is fabulous, notably including a very young Angela Lansbury in her film debut, and Dame May Whitty providing much-needed comic relief.
Interestingly, I think another reason I've watched this movie so much is similar to why I kept watching Phantom of the Opera: I can relate to the depressing parts, and thus find encouragement in the hopeful ending. Sometimes, like Paula, I feel as though I'm going crazy, or that someone is trying to make me think I am. I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone who's reading this and hasn't seen it yet, but suffice it to say the climax is one of my all-time favorite movie scenes, again mostly because of Ingrid Bergman. Just thinking about that scene is making me want to watch Gaslight again right now, and I just saw it three times in 2012. That's how fabulous it is.
Beyond the characters and the acting, I really appreciate the story itself. It's one of the best portrayals of an abusive relationship I've seen on screen. The whole thing is so well put-together that I have to give a huge thank you to George Cukor, who is one of my favorite directors. He's known for bringing out the best performances in actresses, so that might at least partially explain why Ingrid Bergman is so magnificent here, not to take any credit away from her. I also must admit that I find Joseph Cotten extremely attractive in this film, which is another perk, though I would still watch it for Ingrid Bergman's performance regardless.
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