Rating: 
Summary: Innovative 2nd-tier Hitchcock
Review: Perhaps it's understandable that Hitchcock had reservations about this film-- "Notorious" is more truly dreamlike in its sheeny darkness and ruthless forward momentum. And the splendid aesthetic elements in "Spellbound", including Miklos Rozsa's unforgettable score, the famed Dali designs, and the George Barnes/Rex Wimpy cinematography, don't congeal into as splendidly gothic an artifice as "Rebecca". But "Spellbound" is still a terrifically entertaining, and subtly intelligent, film. That intelligence manifests itself best in the subversive ridicule that Hitchcock and Ben Hecht deal out to the chauvinist swine who Ingrid Bergman's Dr. Constance Peterson encounters casually and professionally-- including her harumphing mentor (played with defining neurotic zeal by Michael Chekhov) and even her ornery patient and lover (played by the young Gregory Peck). The opening sequences are the film's most delirious, culminating in Dr. Petersen's yielding to the compulsion to open "Dr. Edwardes"s door, an act which climaxes with the opening of several other doors-- here Hitchcock's use of pure cinema is more spectacularly surreal than anything on loan from Salvador Dali. While the rest of "Spellbound" may fall a little too clumpily into long scenes where pseudo-pop-Freudian psychology is used to decode Peck's predictably strange recollections, it is certainly a very watchable, and rewatchable film. Though not a masterpiece, "Spellbound" is a Hitchcock classic, an evocative and lasting triumph among his immortal series of romantic thrillers.
Rating:
Summary: The movie I couldn't put down!
Review: This movie is one of the best murder-love mysteries I have ever seen. Gregory Peck stars as a 'psychiatrist' with a troubled past. Ingrid Bergman, a real psychiatrist, falls in love with him and tries to uncover the murder that he is accused of commiting. Hitchcook does it again! Brilliant!
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece!
Review: In my opinion, although the film has less of the Hitchcock touch than other films, notably Rear Window, Psycho, North by Northwest, and Vertigo, probably due to the shared partnership with producer David O. Selznick, it still is one of the most interesting films ever made. The dialogue is well written, the cinematography gorgeous, the dream sequence a masterpiece within itself, and the score is beautiful. This film is not Hitchcock's best, in my opinion that's shared by Vertigo, Psycho, and Rebecca. However this film is good entertaiment and, as the title suggests, Spellbinding. Criterion has done, as expected, a bang up job on the DVD release of the film. The packaging is gorgeous, the extras are incredibly in-depth and numerous. However, the video transfer is not as good as Criterion's transfers of Rebecca, Notorious, and The Lady Vanishes. Watch this film, you WILL NOT be dissappointed!
Rating:
Summary: Superb Psychological Thriller
Review: Green Manors mental hospital is about to change management. The previous director Dr. Murchison has been worn-out from his job and is being replaced by Dr. Edwards (Gregory Peck), a famous psychiatrist who is well published. At the arrival to Green Manor Dr. Edwards meets the attractive Dr. Petersen (Ingrid Bergman), who is a determined scientist that does not let anything in between her and her work. However, the arrival of Dr. Edwards changes things for her and she ends up falling in love with him. It appears that Dr. Edwards is not who is supposed to be. He appears to be a pretender who suffers from amnesia and paranoia. As he escapes from Green Manor the police are contacted and he becomes a suspect in the murder of the real Dr. Edwards. An affectionate and loving Dr. Petersen is determined, based on her intuition, that he is innocent, which she is determined to prove while attempting treat the stranger's condition. Spellbound is a highly suspenseful thriller that provides many opportunities for suspicion and uncertainty. This leaves the audience with a brilliant cinematic experience, which will keep them in apprehension until the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Overacting 101
Review: I always try to catch as many old movies as I can. Even with America's reluctance to see older films, especially black and white ones, I enjoy seeing what else famous people have been in. Often a lot of gems are found, but I didn't have that feeling with "Spellbound".This is supposed to be one of those Hitchcock thrillers where people keep digging deeper and deeper into a mess that they can't seem to get out of. It's certainly one of them. The beautiful Ingrid Bergman plays a psychiatrist who's work is so important she just doesn't think about dating. Until a new doctor comes to her hospital. It's Gilligan! No, it's Gregory Peck, who looked just like Gilligan when he (Peck) was young. These two fall for each other in exactly one day. Sure. But Hitchcock needed to move the plot along, so he gets rid of any real courtship. We find out that all is not as it seems with Gilligan. Is he a doctor? Is he the doctor they think he is? Is he a good guy or bad guy? These are all presented more or less fairly well. But while movies may not be any better plot-wise these days, the execution of them, in my opinion, sure has gone up. As movie-making still wasn't that sophisticated a craft, I suspect stage actors were still used as stars. Which might explain why just about every actor has to make sure they beat their point over your head before moving on. Same with the soundtrack. I guess it got an Oscar nomination, but the same with the acting. The violins got so intense while trying to heighten a dramatic scene I thought they were going to come alive and enter the movie. I like my Hitchcock, but he should have given the audience a little credit for having some brains to figure out things for themselves with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Everyone mentions the Salvador Dali sequence....
Review: ....I'm not going to. It's been done to death and I'd rather talk about the film's atmospheric cinematography that is vintage Hitchcock. Perhaps more than any other film he directed this one captures the essence of discomfort and suspense so vital to the psychoanalysis theme of the film. Note the lingering low-angle on the shot of Gregory Peck's razor (and the way it is lit) or his psychotic stare at John Emery (shot through a drinking glass, for goodness sakes!), of course making us all fear he's going to be stabbed. Or the important climatic skiing scene which finally explains why Dr. Peck is so nervous around lines, tracks, and slopes. (It's a relatively short flashback that I won't reveal, but a disturbing, horrible sight just the same.) Finally, the scene with Leo Carroll, Ingrid Bergman, and a freakishly large, distorted gun is spellbindi...really impressive. Can you imagine the screams from the original 1945 audience when this gun came on-screen?!! The *two* frames (on video, anyway) of red which integrate with the gunshot is a stunning piece of subliminal cinematography. (BTW, is it just me, or do the gorgeous Ms. Bergman and future Hitchcock alum Grace Kelly bear a striking resemblance to each other?!!)
Rating: 
Summary: Let's Talk...
Review: This is a classic example of a rather dated movie brought back to life through the efforts of Criterion. The extras are first rate (particularly the long documentary/labyrinth detailing the Dali dream sequence). The performances by Bergman and Peck are also first rate... but that's where the greatness ends. The story itself presses the limits of credibility. First off, Bergman plays a psychiatrist with the warmth of an ice pick one moment, and the very next day is bustling off to New York and Rome, GA with a psychotic "killer" hunted by the law. She changes 180 degrees for love, but the transition was too abrupt for me. Secondly, the presentation of psychoanalysis seemed like a rather didactic chapter out of Psychology 101, leaving little to the modern imagination. Thirdly, many of the psychiatrists seemed to me to mimic the stereotypes of Germanic Freudian types. Chekhov received an academy award nomination for his Professor Von Drake-like performance? While his acting was impressive, his characterization was rather two dimensional. It obviously reflects a time when psychoanalysis was very new to audiences, and Hitchcock casts aside subtlety on this one. In short, I recommend this movie only for devoted Hitchcock or Salvador Dali fans. You will find few better performances by Berman and Peck. Additionally, the extras on this one lift the movie from the limits of the 1940s and place it in a good historical perspective. Suspend your belief, lighten up, sit back and enjoy this one.
Rating:
Summary: And old-fashioned thriller...
Review: Ingrid Bergman delivers a captivating performance as a hard-nosed psychoanalyst whose shell is finally broken by Gregory Peck, the suave new chief of staff at her mental clinic. Their love is quickly realized, only to be confounded by Peck's emerging mysterious behavior. His condition progresses into a complex inner struggle of which Bergman is determined to find a cause. Bergman challenges Peck's hidden "guilt complex", providing clues to Peck's history. As the secrets of his amnesia are revealed, his behavior becomes more dangerous. However, instead of turning away from him, Bergman's new-found ability to love drives her even more doggedly to get to the root of Peck's turmoil. Peck's famous dream sequence, designed by artist Salvador Dali, is the puzzle that we as the audience must put together along with Bergman. When you think the story is resolved, a great twist is thrown in...a classic Hitchcock tale. This movie clearly demonstrates that a great story is timeless, and its old-fashioned thriller style certainly lends a refreshing charm. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: The film I have not clearly understood
Review: Alfred Hitchcock is great master of suspense. I bought many films of amazing director form amazon.com. Also I purchase "Spellbound- Criterion Collection" including the English subtitle with a great expectations. But this DVD could not be played in my DVD player because the manufacturing of this DVD was different form the others. There is another DVD of Spellbound not including the English subtitles that I have owned but my english is not enough to see understand the film without english subtitle. I can see only scenes but dialogues were not clear for me. But the scenes and Ingrid Bergman are most effective.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent treat!
Review: This movie is spectacular! One of the best Alfred Hitchcock movies. Ingrid Bergman is a great actress in this movie. Gregory Peck is also a great actor. This movie is a great thriller. The score is also wonderful that it won the 1945's Best Score. This movie also has the famous Salvador Dali dream sequence. This is excactly what you expect from The Master of Suspense. Alfred Hitchcock is known for his cleverness in his films. This film is very clever. Only Alfred Hitchcock could creat such a film with dramatic action and feelings. This movie deserves five stars. Go see it!
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