イングリッド・バーグマンがアカデミー主演女優賞を受賞した、ジョージ・キューカー監督のサスペンス映画の古典的名作。美術・装置賞も受賞。共演はシャルル・ボワイエ。 叔母を何者かに殺されて傷心のポーラは住み慣れたロンドンを離れ、イタリアで暮らすことに。やがて月日が流れ、結婚したポーラは、夫と共に相続した叔母の家で新婚生活を始める。ところが、ロンドンに戻ったとたん、次々と不可解なことが起こり、ポーラは精神的に追い詰められていく…。主演女優のイングリッド・バーグマンにオスカーをもたらした、サスペンス映画の古典的名作。アカデミー美術・装置賞も受賞。
製作費: $2,068,000 (3億円)
※製作費・興行収入はTMDBのデータを参照しています。収支は(興行収入 - 製作費)で算出したFindKey独自の推定値であり、広告宣伝費や諸経費は含まれません (1ドル=150円換算)。
監督: George Cukor
脚本: John Van Druten / Walter Reisch / John L. Balderston
音楽: Bronislau Kaper
撮影監督: Joseph Ruttenberg
制作会社: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
I knew from the first moment I saw you that you were dangerous to her. Gaslight is directed by George Cukor and is adapted to screenplay from Patrick Hamilton’s play by John Van Druten, Walter Reisch and John L. Balderston. It stars Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotton, May Whitty, Barbara Everest and Angela Lansbury. Music is by Bronislaw Kaper and cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. Years after her aunt was murdered in her London home, Paula Alquist Anton (Bergman) moves back there with her new husband, Gregory Anton (Boyer). However, what at first seems to be an idyllic marriage begins to crumble as Paula appears to be losing her mind… You really have to put into context just how great Gaslight is as per the time it was released. For it holds up now as something of a torch igniter for what has followed over the decades. The psychological thriller – specifically that of a spouse being tormented by their partner – has been mined for all its worth - and will continue to do so. Even the terminology of very real life instances such as Gaslighted/Gaslighting have been born out from the pic, so if it is thought of being dated or old hat, its influence is still quite considerable. It’s still a terrific atmospheric thriller anyway, played out to a magnificent backdrop of Victorian London, of fogs and cobbled streets, and of course gas lights and eerie shadows. Pic is split into two halves, first half is the set-up of a whirlwind romance that leads to marriage, then the move to the marital home and support characters - nosy neighbour (Whitty), housekeeper (Everest), tart housemaid (Lansbury on debut) - are introduced to proceedings. Deft psychological touches are being played out, though wonderfully we never actually see the misdirection machinations actually being done. Then as the second half happens upon us it really hits the diabolical straps, the methodical manoeuvres of Gregory Anton really start to gnaw away at our senses. We witness Paula come apart, her mind fractured, so vulnerable and confused, you would have to have a heart of stone not to have your very core ache. It’s here where Bergman, in the first of her three Best Actress Oscar wins, excels without duff histrionics. Boyer also is superb, where guided by the astute Cukor he makes Gregory a dashing dastard, only given to subtle clues about his devious and wicked doings. Cotton doesn’t try to do a British accent, which is fine as he holds his end up well as Brian Cameron, the man getting to grips with what’s actually going on in the Alton home. Brian is our hero in waiting, giving us something to hang onto as the pic reaches revelations point. With Ruttenberg (Oscar Nominated) drifting what would be known as noirish contrasts over the piece, and Kaper’s music unobtrusively subtle, Gaslight hits high marks for tech credit substance. All told it’s a truly great film, and one that’s well worth going back to if you become jaded with the more slick and polished production line genre pieces that follow in its wake. 9/10
