Perhaps no other film in cinematic history more aptly ilustrates the concept of Victorian suspense than the 1944 classic, Gaslight. Starring Ingrid Bergman as Paula Anton, the niece of a murdered opera singer (Alice Alquist) who inherits all her property, Charles Boyer as (Gregory Anton) and Joseph Cotton (Brian Cameron), the plot concerns the attempt of a murderous husband (Charles Boyer) to drive his loving and unsuspecting wife, (Ingrid Bergman) out of her mind so that he can have her declared insane and inherit her property.
Unbeknownst to Paula Anton, Gregory Anton was her aunt’s musical accompanist, and he murdered her for her jewels, but does not know where they are. It is for this reason that Anton encourages his wife to return to the scene of the crime, her aunt’s beautiful home in Thornton Square. The expression “giving the gaslight treatment,” which means to drive someone nuts, came from this movie.
Angela Lansbury appears as sullen maid-servant, Nancy Oliver, in this her very first role, which she performed at the tender age of seventeen. Joseph Cotton is the hero who saves the day as Brian Cameron, an adoring fan of her aunt, the opera singer, who gave him a glove as a momento as a little boy. The other glove, so proudly hoarded by Paula, becomes a token of trust when the two speak for the first time.
Cameron is most taken with the lovley and most vulnerable Mrs. Anton, but it is a cautious friendship. In a memorable scene, the gaslight goes down while they are conversing, but Paula Anton says nothing for she fears she has imagined it. When Brian Cameron confirms the fact, the plot quickly thickens and Gregory Anton is soon exposed as a dastardly villian, leading the double life of both a bigamist and murderer.
The fim won numerous awards, including Best Actress in a leading role, Ingrid Bergman, Best Actor in a leading role, Chalres Boyer, and Angela Lansbury for Best Actress in a supporting role.
What are some of your favorite moments from this classic tale of greed and madness?