Rating: 
Summary: Madness circa 1948
Review: "The Snake Pit" is a film with a message, despite the more dated aspects to it. In fact, the astute observer will note that mental health care really has not come all that far since the making of this film. The shock therapy that Havilland's character is subjected to, the "ice baths", and the biased treatment she is given by staff, one nurse in particular, all go on now, only in a more subtle, whitewashed fashion.
Virginia (Havilland) is a woman suffering from profound memory loss, confusion, depression and a slight problem pinning down who she really is. The filmmakers must at some point have decided not to go "hardcore" with their portrayal of Virginia's state, as her symptoms (in the opening scene, for example, she is absolutely concvinced she is in prison when she has already been in the hospital for a number of months) bespeak of something far more serious than the "lost father" complex which supposedly lies at the core of her acting out and bizarre behaviors. The ending is a bit sugar coated, although this is most likely what everyone was hoping for.
The masterful thing about this film is that we get to know Virginia so well--the sequences with her husband Robert, her kinship with fellow patients, the repertoire she has going with the British doctor who seems to be the only one who remotely understands her--and yet she remains enigmatic and mysterious the entire time. The plot is crafted in such a way that we are dangled from the director's parapet about precisely who Virginia really is until she undergoes real therapy. The censors in 1948 must have been pretty stringent, since we never get to see Havilland's character "act out", and hoky hallucinations seem to jump in every time she attacks someone, not allowing us to see.
The best parts in the movie take place with her husband, who she refuses to get very intimate with. The way he sticks by her despite her insane behavior and inability to "love anybody" is both moving and believable. I wouldn't call this a disturbing film, really. Virginia's plight is tame compared to what we have seen other directors do with the theme of the mentally ill since. But I'm sure it was more than disturbing for 1948. A seemingly forgotten film which deserves more attention.
Rating:
Summary: A BREAKTHROUGH FILM.
Review: A superb performance by DeHavilland highlights this grippingly honest account of a young married woman's descent into madness via a nervous breakdown. Not as shocking as when originally released in 1948, it nevertheless offers terrific performances from Leo Genn as the kind Dr. Kirk with Celeste Holm, Ruth Donnelly, Lee Patrick and Betsy Blair (as Hester) standouts. Mark Stevens is adequate as the puzzled husband and the great silent star Mae Marsh is seen briefly as Tommy's mother. I always get a laugh during the scene where Virginia thinks to herself: "What am I supposed to say? ...Hiya, kiddo"? I do have a qualm concerning Natalie Schafer playing Virginia's mother in a flashback sequence-to me she seemed superficially insincere and out of place. THE SNAKE PIT is a fascinating excursion into a mental ward, but hardly anyone's fave movie, somehow.
Rating: 
Summary: AVERAGE TRANSFER - STARK DEPICTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Review: Anatole Litvak's "The Snake Pit" charts the atypical view of psychoanalysis prevalent in most classic films - a.k.a - everything is linked to one's childhood trauma, repression and guilt. That shortcoming aside, "The Snake Pit" is a stark, often disturbing, melodrama about life inside a mental asylum. It charts the dementia of Virginia (Olivia de Havilland), a woman suffering from an emerging psychosis. De Havilland certainly delivers a stellar and shockingly dramatic performance in this apocalyptic vision of insanity under horrendous conditions. Leo Genn plays the sympathetic psychiatrist to whom Virginia's mental health is entrusted. Although it is through his care and patience that Virginia's psychosis is finally laid to rest, the film remains a sobering and critical view of the inner mental anguish that, more often than not, is incurable and debilitating.
THE TRANSFER: Troublesome. The gray scale is presented at a well balanced level. Blacks are generally solid. But age related artifacts are sometimes glaringly present. Film grain, as well as edge enhancement and pixelization are present for an image quality that is rarely smooth and only moderately easy on the eyes. The audio has been cleaned up and is nicely presented.
EXTRAS: Fox Studio Line is about as skimpy on extras as is the rest of their output of classic films on DVD. One wonders why the distinction is made between "Studio" titles and just regular releases. Here we get a sparse audio commentary, some stills and theatrical trailers. Big deal!
Bottom Line: I recommend this film for its performances. The DVD is not up to reference quality or anywhere near what it should be looking like.
Rating:
Summary: A Pit of Troublesome Digital Anomalies for "The Snake Pit"
Review: Anatole Litvak's "The Snake Pit" charts the atypical view of psychoanalysis prevalent in most classic films - a.k.a - everything is linked to one's childhood trauma, repression and guilt. That shortcoming aside, "The Snake Pit" is a stark, often disturbing, melodrama about life inside a mental asylum. It charts the dementia of Virginia (Olivia de Havilland), a woman suffering from an emerging psychosis. De Havilland certainly delivers a stellar and shockingly dramatic performance in this apocalyptic vision of insanity under horrendous conditions. Leo Genn plays the sympathetic psychiatrist to whom Virginia's mental health is entrusted. Although it is through his care and patience that Virginia's psychosis is finally laid to rest, the film remains a sobering and critical view of the inner mental anguish that, more often than not, is incurable and debilitating. Fox's transfer is a tad troublesome. The gray scale is well balanced. Blacks are generally solid. But age related artifacts are sometimes glaring. Film grain, as well as edge enhancement and pixelization distract. The audio has been cleaned up and is nicely presented. Fox Studio Line is about as skimpy on extras as is the rest of their output of classic films on DVD. One wonders why the distinction is made between "Studio" titles and just regular releases. Here we get a sparse audio commentary, some stills and theatrical trailers. Big deal!
Bottom Line: I recommend this film for its performances. The DVD is not up to reference quality or anywhere near what it should be looking like.
Rating:
Summary: A masterwork of film-making
Review: Every once in a while a film comes along that changes ones mind about something. Snakepit is one of these films. It would take a stone not to be affected by this glorious film about the disturbed. O. deH breath taking.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Movie
Review: I'm surprised no one has mentioned the beautiful song "Goin' Home" sung by an inmate during the big dance. what a beautiful song that portrays the empty, longing feelings of these poor souls. Great movie. Great song. And Olivia de Havilland is phenomenal.
Rating:
Summary: Realistic, grim drama
Review: Olivia de Havilland portrays Virginia Cunningham, a young woman suffering from mental illness and her battles to overcome it. The film is disturbing at times, but always keeps your attention. Leo Genn plays Virginia's sympathetic psychiatrist, and is quite good. "Snake Pit" is a well-made, serious film.
Rating:
Summary: Realistic, grim drama
Review: Olivia de Havilland portrays Virginia Cunningham, a young woman suffering from mental illness and her battles to overcome it. The film is disturbing at times, but always keeps your attention. Leo Genn plays Virginia's sympathetic psychiatrist, and is quite good. "Snake Pit" is a well-made, serious film.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow! This one really packs a punch!
Review: Olivia deHavilland shows her acting chops in "The Snake Pit," a harrowing look at mental illness, circa 1948. Believe me, if you have to go insane, just be thankful we're in the New Millennium, and not in post-War America! "The Snake Pit" is wonderfully acted by all concerned, but it is deHavilland's showcase, and she does a superb job. In fact, I was quite impressed with her range and dramatic ability...this is no "Melanie" from "Gone With the Wind!" Alas, "The Snake Pit" is extremely dated, but I recommend it for deHavilland's startling performance. Really, it's extremely unusual to see such power in an actress from the "old" school of demure acting. Livvy was nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award and certainly deserved to win, in my humble opinion. She's much better in this than in "The Heiress" (though I love that film, too, for different reasons). Check this out--you won't be disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: INSIDE "THE SNAKE PIT"......
Review: Once powerful shocker is dated now but still retains the unpleasantness and emotional tugs that must have riveted audiences in 1948. Olivia de Havilland gives an Oscar nominated performance as Virginia, a woman confined to a state mental hospital after a mental breakdown. As she struggles to understand what happened to her and regain her sanity through the kindliness and patience of a very understanding doctor, we are treated to the horrors and inhumanity of a state hospital circa 1948. Hissably horrible nurses, shock treatments, poor food, overcrowding, ice baths and finally "the snake pit"---you name it and Virginia goes through it. Luckily, she has a very loving husband who waits for her to "come home". de Havilland is excellent and if the film (and performances) seems dated, this was 1948 and mental illness was a new frontier being brought out into the open and frankly explored by Hollywood. It's possible to imagine a state hospital being this horrific in the late 40's. Supporting cast is fine but Celeste Holm is wasted in a small part as a fellow patient and disappears altogether. The finale, set at a dance for the patients, features the old tearjerker "Goin' Home" (which, incidentally, is about dying) done to effectively emotional heights about finally being released and "going home". This film is a classic of it's kind and is given a beautiful DVD treatment and I very much recommend it for movie buffs and fans of de Havilland. I still find parts of it intense and disturbing, so if it still has that effect after all these years I can only imagine what it must have been like in 1948.
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