20 years ago, my father introduced me to the term gaslighting as I set into divorcing my abusive husband. He asked if I ever saw the film (which would have came out when he was 18). I had not, nor had I heard the term before. He urged me to hunt down the film. It was a real eye opener, and it served as the catalyst for me pursuing therapy after more than 27 years of emotional and psychological abuse. Thanks, Dad!!
Great reaction, Mia. It may be worth noting that something depends on when the play/film is set. Under English law up to 1882, a woman's property passed to her husband on marriage, so once they are married the house is his, not hers. Yes, it was disgraceful and the law was changed.
That is why he persuaded her into eloping, so there would be no settlement and he would get everything. A woman who had property and/or money would have normally had a marriage settlement drawn up to ensure that all of her property did NOT pass automatically into the hands of her new husband. It was roughly the equivalent of a pre-nup today. It is obvious from the beginning that this guy is up to no good.
I am 70 and I was seeing a therapist, who was in her late 20s, for smoking cessation. I asked her if she had ever seen this movie, which she had not. A couple of sessions later she told me she had watched it and was sooooo impressed by it. This film is a classic.
So glad you've done this!!! Knew you'd love it. Angela Lansbury got her first Oscar nomination for this performance at the age of 19 and her second for "The Picture of Dorian Gray" a year later. Maybe check that one out soon.
The first red flag with Gregory's character is the scene where she arrives in Como and he's already there. She had clearly told him before that she wanted to be alone in order to think through their relationship. But of course he can't let that happen. Cukor directed the scene wonderfully, with Gregory's hand entering the frame first. He's a predator.
"Angela Frickin' Lansbury" - Couldn't have said it better myself. If you haven't done so you should check out her performance in "The Manchurian Candidate". She plays against type and totally owns every scene she's in.
Paula's speech at the end is one of the most triumphant endings in cinema history. I wanted to pump my fist in solidarity for what this stands for whether it's a spouse, parent or "friend" that has played labyrinthian mind games on us. Chills.
Charles Boyer was pronounced Boy yeh or Boy A. At the time he was a very famous french actor. Also, may I suggest for Christmas movies. It Happened On 5th Avenue, One Magic Christmas and Bell, Book and Candle. Glad you enjoyed the movie and it incensed you as much as it did for me.
I think of Bell, Book, and Candle as more New Year's Eve. But I think she should see it. My other New Year's Eve films are Gilda, Bachelor Mother, and After the Thin Man. I hope at some point Mia does Touch of Evil or Thief of Baghdad (either the silent version with Fairbanks or the 1940s version by Alexander Korda).
If you want to watch Charles Boyer and love him. Watch "All This and Heaven Too" with Bette Davis. His eyes are so dreamy and an accent to boot. One of my favorites.
Thanks for watching this great film ! Another one that I would highly recommend is The Heiress (1949) with Olivia de Havilland and Montgomery Clift. Also about a naive young woman who deals with emotional abuse and manipulation, but an even more complex and thought provoking story.
the way her voice shakes as Brian is breaking into Gregory's desk and she asks, terrified, "what shall i say to him?!" makes me want to cry every time i hear it because i know that feeling. it's crazy how a story from the 40s so accurately portrays how abusers take advantage of the good intentions of other people!
It’s utterly tragic how ahead it’s time this movie was and how timeless it has remained. These types of relationships happen everyday. But my God, the most cathartic ending to a movie I’ve ever seen!
I’ve been watching reaction channels for about two years now and you’re only the second person to react to gaslight in those two years. I have suggested the movie to different reactors but none of them have reacted to it other than the one other person and It wasn’t at my suggestion. Thank you thank you thank you for reacting to gaslight
I like to judge actors by how much they make me hate them, and I gotta say the Charles Boyer has to be one of the greatest, most criminally underrated actors of his generation. I absolutely LOATHED him in this film. He deserved so much worse than what he got in the end.
Isn't this a wonderful movie? I wanted to mention that if you liked Dame May Whitty's performance in the very small role that she had in this (but she's always wonderful in everything), you might like to watch what has always been my favorite of her roles, in The Lady Vanishes -- one of Hitchcock's more light-hearted thrillers, and tremendous fun.
@@dorothywillis1 And for Whitty in a more central and very different role, "Night Must Fall", which scared me silly when I first watched it. You also get to see young Rosalind Russell. In my head, there's a little grouping Hollywood era elder-lady eccentrics who always enrich anything they touch: Whitty, Margaret Rutherford, Florence Bates, and, though really in a different class, I'll include Edna May Oliver. These gems are usually shown at smaller intervals in movies, and I just love when they are.
New sub here! You got me with your Jeremy Brett Holmes (hope we'll get to see season two!), and I LOVED your reaction to this film. In an ocean of "blind" reactors, it's so refreshing to see someone actually making the effort to prepare for a classic film so they can appreciate it properly!
Mia - you're great and that reaction was wonderful. You asked what the original audiences thought of the film. My mother saw this at the cinema when it was released (that's why I requested that you see it) - there were gasps and people began to shift uncomfortably in their seats. When Joseph Cotton noticed the lights going down they applauded. As people came out everyone was talking about how brilliant Ingrid Bergman was. Also, the manager asked them not to reveal the ending because it would spoil it for future audiences. The intense satisfaction of the ending is achieved through the terrible frustration and anger of the first part of the film. 'The Franchise Affair' (1951) is an excellent British film based on true events with a similar theme.
This movie literally makes your blood boil with anger and frustration, but it is a great example how some people can manipulate others and twist reality. After 80 years this movie still works like a charm - it makes you sooo MAD!
Yeah, I knew someone who just couldn’t forgive Boyer for this role even though he’d been charming in just about every other film he was in. Love Affair and Barefoot in the Park are good examples.
@@melenatorr Vous avez raison, Charles Boyer est merveilleux et très émouvant dans L’Étrangère (All This And Heaven Too) où il est bien à plaindre d’avoir une épouse aussi folle ! Avec Bette Davis, ils auraient formé un couple idéal s’ils avaient donné libre cours à leur amour ! Le jeu de Barbara O’Neil y est exceptionnel et j’apprécie également la présence de Virginia Weidler que j’ai tant aimée dans The Philadelphia Story.
@@francoisevassy6614 Merci beaucoup! I agree with you about Barbara O'Neal: she didn't often get to show off her talents to the degree she does in "All This...", and she really runs with it. There's a very, very good scene between O'Neal and Davis about midpoint. I'm always happy to watch Virginia Weidler: she also had a good range that isn't always appreciated. Comparing her Dinah from "Philadelphia Story" with her Little Mary from "The Women" is truly enlightening about her. She died young, which is extremely hard to take in. I always meant to research what happened to the children of the family, and never got around to it. One day...
Pronounced CUE-kor (the kor pronounced like/rhymes with "or.") Boy-EY. the er pronounced "ey" or as a long vowel "a." Great movie. Adore Ingrid. So glad you enjoyed the movie.
I adore this movie,; I'm so glad you're watching it. I think it's better than the other version (Bergman and Cotten are my faves) but Anton Walbrook certainly was interesting in the other, in some spots. But Bergman, Boyer and Cotten (and of course, Angela Lansbury!) were all so tense, manipulative, obsessive ... oh, it was all so suspenseful. The scenes near the end with Bergman going "mad" ... It's exceptional acting, and marvelously done.
And not forgetting the delightful Dame May Whitty! I saw the earlier version on TCM for the first time not too long ago. It's a little different, both in script and direction, though the core is the same. Diana Wynard is more physically delicate and fragile than Bergman, and gives a bit of a more obvious dependence on the husband, whose name is Paul here. Walbrook is just great - he seemed to relish this sort of role, and has a sort of unquestioning authority about him. It works at least as well in "The Red Shoes". Both versions are very good, and a nice pairing. I think I may like Bergman/Boyer a little more, but that may be familiarity.
Bergman and Boyer are my favorites (and indeed, not forgetting Dame May Whitty!), but you're right that Walbrook captivated in the other, as well. You got the sense that he savored every element of roles like that; I also couldn't agree more about _The Red Shoes,_ I hadn't seen Wyland as much - or maybe at all - before, but she did have a vulnerable quality that worked well for the role. One thing that did surprise me was how much the older version of _Gaslight_ seemed to lean into the vulgarity and bawdiness of the era. I felt it leant a greater emphasis on the sexual element of the relationship, the predatory role, than what Boyer chosen. Boyer, with Cotton, seemed to take a slightly more genteel approach to Paula, while Boyer saved the more of the more "fleshy" attentions for his maid, although even there, they felt less oppressive. An interesting choice, and one wonders what went into it.
Bergman was perfect for the role, she had an innate melancholy and fragility about her that the indomitable Irene Dunne did not have. Hedy could have pulled it off, of course, but Bergman was the better choice.
To many younger viewers, they may not grasp the underlying principle here. Unlike electric lights, when a new light in a gaslight house was turned on, it decreased the gas pressure in the entire line, thus producing a noticeable dimming in the lights throughout the house. (And in an unrelated detail, many of these gas companies were not regulated at first. In order to conserve money, some companies would turn down the system pressure at night, enough in some cases for the lights to go out. This thus filled the rooms with unlit gas, causing explosions of the entire building.)
Great reaction Mia. My favorite Ingrid Bergman performance. Next of hers try Anastasia. Yes, even over Casablanca. And Angela Lansbury gave an incredible performance very early in her career. Another Charles Boyer movie for you to watch is Algiers, where he costars with Hedy Lamar. You might find him more charming than in this one. It's my favorite Hedy performance. Youll love the style of the movie. For your Joseph Cotton infatuation, The Third Man is incredible. Looking forward to your Asphalt Jungle reaction. It's a great ensemble cast and a great caper. You'll love it.
You are right about there being people like this in real life. My dad was one. My mother was so desperate she even went to the police, but they couldn't understand what she meant when she said she was afraid of him, because he never hit or threatened her, just covert manipulation like you see here. Ironically this very movie was part of what helped her get out; my grandmother (a Joseph Cotton fan) noticed the parallels and spoke up. Thank god for people like her... and thank feminism for no-fault divorce in the 21st century!
Yeesh. The only thing (maybe?) worse than being gaslit is being Accused of Gaslighting when you are not gaslighting. Now, that”s a bad situation. Been there, been done that way. Still have nightmares sometimes, decades later. This is a tough watch. Makes me mad, too, Mia! Thanks for the reaction, though.
I always come here when I want to see something worthwhile, with a person who understands what she sees and doesn't try to fool me when she says she thinks Tom Cruise looks familiar...I'm so glad you're back!
Charles Boyer was great star in French cinema. Apparently you don't do many foreign films. He later was in the 4 Star Playhouse on TV. For a French film--without him--there is "The salary of fear", but with Yves Montand. Both made fine films in America. Montand was also in the scandelous movie "Sanctuary" with Lee Remick(a bit forgotten star)based on a book by Faulkner. There are also German, Italian, Japanese, etc movies I could mention.
I remember many years ago buying a DVD doublepack of the UK 1940 and US 1944 films. I watched them pretty much back-to-back and recall prefering the British version, however I don't recall exactly why. Perhaps because i watched it first, perhaps because I'm British! Either way it would probably be worth finding and watching the 1940 version, probably in your own time rather than as a reaction, as comparing two versions of the same story made so close together in different countries would just be interesting to do. MGM did try and get all copies of the UK version destroyed, but fortunately a print survived.
@Tyrconnell Do you know WHY MGM would try to destroy all copies of the British version? That makes no sense to me. I bet that story would be VERY interesting!!
@@phillipstephens4522 This is wikipedia's version of events sourced from the BFI:: "Encouraged by the success of the play and film, MGM bought the remake rights, but with a clause insisting that all existing prints of Dickinson's version be destroyed, even to the point of trying to destroy the negative, so that it would not compete with their more highly publicised 1944 remake"
So the British version was made before MGM obtained the rights. Means they wanted no competition! Thanks for the info. Glad the British version still exists. Once again, thanks.
You are so much fun to watch movies with! For what it's worth, I have always heard Cukor pronounced KEW-cor and Boyer pronounced boy-YA. Thank you for another very enjoyable RU-vid essay!
Bergman and Boyer became very good friends while making this film, and despite only working together once more in the flop epic war film Arc of Triumph, they remained very close until Boyer's death in 1978.
Charles Boyer's later offscreen life was tragic. In 1965, his son shot himself to death playing Russian Roulette. In August 1978, he watched his wife die of cancer and two days later, he took his own life.
I love your videos ❤ I don't know why I hadn't found them before because I'm always looking for channels that look at classic films but I'm happy that I finally have 😊 I'm currently working my way through all of them 😊
Your reaction to this was hilarious! So many of your comments as you were watching were terrific and very amusing! One of your more entertaining videos, for sure! Charles Boyer was a terrific cad in this, but he played plenty of good guys as well, most notably in THE GARDEN OF ALLAH (1936), ALGIERS (1938), LOVE AFFAIR (1939), ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO (1940), HOLD BACK THE DAWN (1941), TALES OF MANHATTAN (1942), CONFIDENTIAL AGENT (1945), CLUNY BROWN (1946), ARCH OF TRIUMPH (1948), AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (1956), THE BUCCANEER (1958), THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (1962), HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966), IS PARIS BURNING? (1966), and BAREFOOT IN THE PARK (1967). Sadly, in 1978, two days after his beloved wife Pat's death from cancer, and two days before his own 79th birthday, he committed suicide with an overdose of Seconal while at a friend's home in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was taken to the hospital in Phoenix, where he died. He was interred in Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, alongside his wife , English actress Pat Paterson and son Michael, who had also committed suicide in 1965 at age 21.
The gaslighting in Gaslight is a bit more obvious than it usually is in real life. After all, a movie has to get things done quickly. I enjoyed seeing Charles Boyer as the villain and Joseph Cotten as the hero, as usually it's the other way around. Boyer is the romantic lead and Cotten is the bad guy!
Yeah, I'm used to Cotton inviting himself into people's homes and messing with their heads before trying to kill them. Nice to see him on the side of the angels in this one! (And being a good egg in The Third Man and Citizen Kane too, of course.)
This movie based on the play of the same name is where we get the term 'Gaslighting' from. It has become a psychological term and means several things of which the key features are shown in this movie. This is where the term comes from...
It's such fun to see a reaction to this often overlooked film. Enjoyed your righteous indignation! And can't wait for your "Asphalt Jungle" reaction. A great film noir!
Loved your reaction to this. In answer to your question, when I first saw this, the phrase “gaslighting” had all but fallen out of popular discourse so the title left no clue for me as to what to look out for. Gregory’s assertions did seem a bit excessive but at the same time we are led to believe Paula’s mental state was a bit shaky. It was Brian’s suspension that gave weight to the fact that something was amiss. Looking forward to The Asphalt Jungle, one of the best of the genre and a glimpse at Marilyn Monroe.
Just subbed to your channel tonight after first being recommended your review of Rope (1948), then watched this review off the back of it - and really love the channel too! I’ve never actually watched Gaslight in its entirety yet despite being familiar with its storyline, so this video was definitely a learning experience for me; I completely understand your reaction to this video and can empathise 110%, I myself was getting triggered by the clips of the movie in this video too! (Gaslighting is the most horrific thing, I’ve been subjected to it myself in the past, so I totally understand how disturbing and annoying it can be to see something like this!) Brilliant reaction and review, Mia! You hit the nail on the head with so many things you said here. Awesome work! 🙏🙏🙏
I like the story, I heard, that the producers of the US version of Gaslight actively surpressed the UK version of the film (blocking its distribution etc.) That would mean you could say Gaslight Gaslit Gaslight.
Yessss! I found this film during quarantine and have revisited multiple times since. Your reaction is spot on, showing the exact emotions I felt on first watch. Ingrid Bergman's performance is phenomenal. Love her!
One of my favorite Christmas movies is called in the Good Old Summertime which is ironic because it's mostly in winter. It's with Judy Garland and Van Johnson Cuddles Sakall and Buster Keaton. It's based on the Shop Around the Corner.
@fabrisseterbrugghe8567 It's got a great Christmas scene but maybe a few. I love the movie with Cristmas and the other parts. Everyone gives a great performance. I'm going to watch it because you suggested it.
In her last film (made for TV), she portrayed Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. During the production, she was dealing with the cancer that would eventually cause her death in August 1982--on her 67th birthday. Three weeks later, she won a Best Actress Emmy, with her daughter accepting her posthumous award.
The ending is such a payoff. But I was never able to really watch Charles Boyer in anything else without seeing this role. I'll throw in with the recommendations for The Heiress (1949), and also Now Voyager (1942)
Thank you very much, Mia, I appreciate when you comment my favourite black and white old movies. Charles Boyer is such a cad and Ingrid Bergman is so fragile ! Love everyone in this movie, especially Dame May Witty, the lady who vanishes in an Alfred Hitchcock’s film … You should see Boyer in Love Affair, original film with Irene Dunne, and in All This And Heaven Too, co-starring Bette Davis ! Greetings from France 🇫🇷
I'm so glad you did this one, a perfect derivation for the term. I want to make you of aware of a film starring Fred Astair, Don Ameche, Melvin Douglas and John Housman, ( contemporary and often partner with Orsen Wells). It is a classic from 1981 called Ghost Story, based upon Peter Straub's novel of the same name. The book is one of the most frightening I've ever read, and the film is a good adaptation. This from a Steven King fan. They teamed up on The Talisman and much later it's sequel Black House. The film is an excellent swan song for our favorite old guy actors, and they teach the younger folks how it's done. Literally in the case of Housman. It's the first time most of us met Alice Krieg, the queen of spooky ever since. I think you'll love it.
Elizabeth was NOT in on it. She was just selfish and protecting her own turf, so she agrees with the "master", who could fire. She DOESN'T hear the footsteps because she is nearly deaf and she denies Joseph Cotton visited because she was not supposed to allow anyone in , so she would be admitting she failed in her duty. As for Gregory: surely at the time he would be executed for the crime of murder.
You know, I saw this movie on TCM when I was maybe 14 or 15, and I think it actually saved me from a lot of heartache. After seeing this, anytime someone tries to tell me things about myself that don't ring true to me and no one else has ever said, it immediately gives me the icks. Like Boyer telling Bergman she's forgetful, absent-minded, suspicious, etc. You can tell she's never heard those qualities ascribed to her before. I've had people I was dating try the same thing, telling me I'm jealous, melancholy, a space cadet. One guy even said I walk with a limp! All things that had never once been ascribed to me before. Very curious... What that tells me is that someone is testing you for weakness. If you have such feeble boundaries that you'll let someone you hardly know tell you what kind of person you are, then they know you're ripe for the picking. You'll be easy to manipulate in every way. Of course, I don't blame people for having weak boundaries. It means they had one or more adult carer who never allowed them to develop boundaries in the first place. It starts from infancy, so the victim can't be blamed. They will, unfortunately, have a very difficult life unless they learn to develop boundaries, though.
Boyer is a favorite actor of mine. I saw 25 movies of his in a,month at the Musee du Cinema in Brussels. I found out later that the month had been scheduled right after he died. He committed suicide after the funeral of his wife.
Hey Mia! I'm excited for your reaction to The Asphalt Jungle (1950) a Film Noir Heist movie directed by John Huston, Also this film was Marilyn Monroe's earliest breakout role, Looking forward to your reaction.
Great reaction! Watching your anger and frustration reminded me of the first time I watched it! If you have a chance watch the 1940 British version (it has been available in a nicely restored version on RU-vid). The story is the same but many of the details are different. The MGM version expanded the backstory which makes it a bit sluggish in the beginning. The British film and original play were tighter. One minor correction, the original title of the play was Gas Light… it became Angel Street when the play was brought to Broadway (where it had a phenomenally long run). The one word title - Gaslight - was first used for the 1940 movie. Thank you for a terrific reaction! 😊😊
One British pound in 1875 would be the equivalent of £ 142.29 today. A house maid salary of £ 16 pounds/year would be about £ 2226 in today's GBP. Or about $2,780 USD. With room and board included she'd make about $7.62/day in today's USD.
Well, that was intense. It's Q-core and Boy-yay. Great reaction. The English version is also excellent with Anton Walbrook and Diana Wynyard. My friend Paul who played the husband in The Burning Bed got similar hatred from audiences and even casting agents because he played his deranged character so well. He's actually the nicest guy in the world.
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) is another classic film filled with wonderful close ups of Ingrid Bergman. Plus, Gary Cooper! Also, for more from Joseph Cotten, check out The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Duel in the Sun (1946), The Third Man (1949), and Niagara (1953).
Charles Boyer trivia: 1 Charles stars in a movie called Hold Back The Dawn that was written by Billy Wilder where Charles refused to do a scene because he thought it was stupid and the director acquiesce to Charles. This ticked Wilder off so much that he vowed that he would start to direct his own scripts so he would have total control. 2. The French skunk cartoon character Pepe LePew voice and mannerisms are inspired by Charles Boyer. His character in the film Algiers is named Pepe
Charles Boyer (boy-YAY) and George Cukor (CUE-core). Also, important to mention that this was future star Angela Lansbury's film debut--she was 17 years old when she played Nancy, and she was nominated for an Oscar for the role! The actor I always felt was miscast in GASLIGHT is Joseph Cotten, who is simply too American for the role of a British police detective.
