Review of Gaslight (1944) by Ashley H — 10 Oct 2007

[i]Gaslight[/i] is well-crafted and well-acted, with many moments of good suspense and tension. Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer work well in the two leads, and they get considerable help from the rest of the cast and the production.

Character of the fragile, self-doubting Paula is ideal role for Bergman, who conveys Paula's anxious uncertainty while keeping her sympathetic and engaging. Boyer comes across believably as her calculating husband, and the two leads make their characters into a strong foundation for the tense story.

Joseph Cotten does not really seem as if he could be a Scotland Yard detective, but he succeeds pretty well as sympathetic policeman who wants to help personally while striving to get at the facts of the matter.

A young Angela Lansbury gives her character some pointed moments, and she becomes a useful part of creating the right atmosphere. The story does, have some less plausible elements, but it is written carefully enough that the seams rarely show.

In fact, it seems to have been constructed rather carefully, so as to provide subtle hints that can be made use of later on. It all makes for satisfying drama that provides a pretty good showcase for its stars.