‘Have you gone mad, my husband? Or is it I who am mad?‘
The phrase ‘gaslighting’ has now entered the international lexicon as a word to describe the act of manipulating someone into blaming themselves for the actions of others. It originates from George Cukor’s 1944 classic Gaslight and it is easy to see why the phrase has become so ubiquitous. This is powerful cinema – even 80 years later…
Paula Alquist (Ingrid Bergman) is persuaded to return to London by her controlling husband Gregory (Charles Boyer) 10 years after the violent murder of her aunt. Upon arrival, Gregory gradually and systematically persuades his new wife that she is quite mad.
I think the reason that this film has endured in the public consciousness is that everyone has met someone like Gregory before. His subtle coercion and gentle persuasiveness will send a chill down the spine of anyone who has become embroiled with a manipulative person. Bergman’s wide-eyed, tragic portrayal of Paula is what really sells Gaslight. I hated Gregory by the end. Hated him for hurting Paula. Hated him for his cruelty. Any film that can inspire such strong emotions is surely doing something right.
Many films from the ’40s feel dated or tedious now, Gaslight is not one of them. At under two hours, the film trots along at a brisk pace and the quality of the acting combined with Cukor’s claustrophobic direction creates an unsettling and insidious atmosphere. The film follows in the tradition of literary classics The Yellow Wallpaper and Rebecca but still remains very much its own thing. Gaslight is as relevant now as it was in 1944. If that’s not enough the film also boasts an appearance from Angela Lansbury as a gobby maid. A compelling and captivating cinematic experience.