Man Tries to Drive Wife Crazy in Gaslight

Suspense Thriller Stars Ingrid Bergmand and Charles Boyer

Aug 23, 2009

Gaslight is a suspense thriller 1944 about a man who wants to drive his wife insane, starring Charles Boyer as a cruel husband and Ingrid Bergman as the tormented wife.

Gaslight is a film from 1944, starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, about a husband who intentionally drives his wife insane. The cast includes Joseph Cotton, Dame May Whitty and Angela Lansbury. George Cukor directed this suspenseful thriller.

Gaslight a Suspense Thriller

Gaslight opens after the murder of a world famous opera singer, Alice Alquist,.The murderer was there to steal jewels, but bolts when her niece, Paula Alquist (Ingrid Bergman) discovers her aunt's body. Paula is sent away to study opera in Italy and tries to forget the horrific murder in Number 9 on Thornton Square in London, England.

Years later, Paula meets and falls in love with with the suave Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer), who persuades her to marry him and move back into Number 9 in London, which has been vacant. Gregory is a seductive man with a soothing, deep voice.

All the while, Gregory has a sinister plan. He wants to drive his bride crazy so he can have her institutionalized and have uninterrupted access to the entire house so he can search for the jewels which he believes are still inside. Gregory convinces Paula that she has become forgetful, is losing jewelry and is imagining things.

Angela Lansbury portrays the saucy maid, who helps to intimidate Alice, in her first screen role. Joseph Cotton portrays Inspector Brian Cameron, who become interested in the strange activities at Number 9, especially after a conversation with the busybody neighbor portrayed by Dame Mae Whitty.

Ingrid Bergman is sympathetic in her role as the tormented wife, and gains the empathy of the viewer. Charles Boyer is scary as the husband who can switch from suave and charming to temperamental and scary in a moments notice. Angela Lansbury seems to be in on the plot to drive her mistress mad, by treating her with scorn.

Gaslight builds suspense as Alice almost become convinced that she is mad due to the subterfuge of her cruel and menacing husband. As Alice becomes unsure of herself she begins to fear her controlling husband.

Gaslight has become such a common word as the result of this movie that it has become a verb, used to describe when someone s driven crazy by another.

Oscar Wins and Nominations

Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar ® for her role. Gaslight also won as Oscar ® for Best Interior Decoration. Gaslight was nominated in the categories of Best Picture, Best Actor (Charles Boyer), Best Supporting Actress (Angela Lansbury), Best Screenplay and Best Black and White Cinematography.

Gaslight is a classic film that is well worth seeing. The classic suspense thriller can sometimes be found on Turner Classic Movies and is also available on DVD.

The copyright of the article Man Tries to Drive Wife Crazy in Gaslight in Classic Film Dramas is owned by Christine Nyholm. Permission to republish Man Tries to Drive Wife Crazy in Gaslight in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.