Gaslight

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard in Gaslight (1940)

Psychological Thriller Drama Mystery Romance Thriller

Twenty years after the murder of Alice Barlow, her house is finally occupied again. However, the husband from the couple who has moved in has a secret that he will do anything to keep hidden... Read allTwenty years after the murder of Alice Barlow, her house is finally occupied again. However, the husband from the couple who has moved in has a secret that he will do anything to keep hidden.Twenty years after the murder of Alice Barlow, her house is finally occupied again. However, the husband from the couple who has moved in has a secret that he will do anything to keep hidden.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

5.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
When MGM remade the film with Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman, the studio attempted to have all prints of this earlier version destroyed. Fortunately, several prints escaped the fire (in fact, it is believed that director Thorold Dickinson surreptitiously struck a print himself before the negative was lost).

Goofs
After the murder of the old lady in 1865, a police constable is shown blowing a whistle to summon assistance. Whistles were not used by the Metropolitan Police until the 1870s; prior to that they used a football rattle to attract attention.

Quotes
Elizabeth: Stop titivating yourself, come on.

Connections
Featured in The Kenny Report: Episode dated 3 September 2024 (2024)

Soundtracks
The Can-Can
(uncredited)
from "Orpheus in the Underworld"
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Arranged by Richard Addinsell
Played at the music hall and danced to by The Darmora Ballet

User reviews92

Review

Featured review

"Creates an air of electric tension that Hollywood could only envy."

In Victorian London, Louis Bower (Walbrook), murdered his aunt for her precious rubies that are hidden somewhere in her house, only he couldn't find them. Having eluded the police for a number of years and changed his name to Paul Mallen, he takes a wife in the fragile Bella (Wynyard), and the couple move back into the house so that he can continue his search under cover as a respectable Victorian husband. At the same time he tries to drive his wife out of her mind because he is afraid that she might discover his guilty secret...

The first film version of Patrick Hamilton's successful stage play is technically modest compared to the 1944 Hollywood remake (see my review), but this British National production directed by Thorold Dickinson creates an atmosphere of genuine electric tension that Hollywood could only envy. Hardly surprising really that they tried to destroy the negative of this picture. Fortunately prints have survived and it often turns up on TCM every few months. Good performances too, especially from Walbrook who portrays the villain as a vile Victorian bully whereas Charles Boyer played it smooth. Wynyard does well as the tortured wife while Cathleen Cordell is fine as the tarty parlour maid whom Walbrook uses to add insult to his wife's injury.

The film was available in the UK on VHS but it has since been deleted, although the Hollywood version is out on DVD. Let's hope this version finds it's way on to DVD too.