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Spellbound

Spellbound

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: selznick/hitchcock = yuck
Review: all through the 40's hitchcock teamed up with mr. david o. selznick who, while making him well-known in the US, also managed to have him make horrible movies. his worst movies came out during this period. unfortunately this is one of them, and it's very terrible. extremely talky, ridiculous, boring, and it goes nowhere. the only thing of note is that salvador dali designed a dream sequence in the movie which, while it's not amazing or groundbreaking, is still interesting (think 5000 fingers of dr. t). not even worth a watch

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hitchock's most visually daunting film!
Review: Bergman and Peck make an off centered couple and never seem to hold that lustful glue that makes her pairing with Cary Grant so marvelous but there is something that draws the viewer to Peck. For this is the only film I have ever seen him in upon which his cold eyes and structured face seems to haunt you making everything he says unbelieveable and down right creepy and with a film built around his mysterious background it truly is visually stunning and keeps you glued to the edge of your seat!! Even after we learn that Bergman's character trusts this mystery man the viewer always will have second thoughts based on Peck's gravel voice and stoic apperance-at times you just sweat in anticipation of Peck's character at any moment just jumping up and killing Bergman off when ever they are alone in a room! It'sas if the devil (Peck) is teasing the angel(Bergaman)! Hitchcock also had the sense to allow the full interaction of shadows and light-just watch how Peck's character creeps down the stairs at a another doctor's upstate residence! The glare off the blade is menacing! The ending in true Hitchcock style is a mind blower and the turns and plot shifts upon plot shifts are truly unexpected this film is up there with Notorius and even surpasses it in terms of overall suspense! Great casting, script, and a great movie to watch but just not alone!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful, Even If Hitch wasn't a Psych. Student
Review: Easily Hitchcock's best movie. As a psychology major, I cannot stress enough the fact that many liberties are taken with Freudian psychoanalysis. If you don't use this movie to form your opinion about Freud and just enjoy it for what it is, you can't go wrong with this movie.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ingrid always leaves me "spellbound"
Review: Since the time I first viewed the wondrous Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, I have decided she is the most beautiful woman ever to have graced the movie screen. Spellbound is not just about Ingrid, the tale of intrigue and mystery twists and turns in an astounding array of character and imagery.

Most people praise the movie for it's Salvador Dali scene, superb as it was, one scene can never make a movie a classic. The performances offered by Peck and Bergman are supreme, with a real passion the story flies away on wings of romance that will never quite be, returning to suprise with one of the best twists hollywood has known.

I cannot finish without quoting my favourite line, when asked what kind of sandwich she would like, Ingrid looks up to the clear skies and replies with great passion "liverwurst".

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Bad psychology, great movie
Review: As a Movie -- "Spellbound" is a true Hitchcock masterpiece, however flawed. The plot's a good deal of fun: Bergman portrays an icy Freudian psychotherapist who falls in love with an amnesiac played by Gregory Peck. Since Peck is suspected of murder, Bergman must crack his amnesia using Freudian therapy while they're on the lam. Much of your enjoyment will depend on your willingness to suspend disbelief over some hilariously dated Freudian concepts. (Come on, does anybody really believe anymore that dream analysis can cure serious mental troubles?)

Luckily, Bergman and Peck overcome the movie's silly psychological underpinnings with their intensely melodramatic acting. Plus, all the things you love about Hitchcock are present, from the usual dramatic tension following characters running from the authorities to splendidly arty sequences such as Salvador Dali's dream segment.

As a DVD -- Anchor Bay has gone "bare bones" with these early Hitchcock films, so don't expect a DVD with loaded extras like "North by Northwest." Don't let that dismay you, however. After all, the movie looks gorgeous and sounds pristine given it's age. With that, who needs extras?

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Spell-Bland
Review: I wasn't very impressed with the overall acting abilities. Every step along the way is disturbing to watch the actors knowing they are reading a script.

The only reason for buying this title is for the dream sequence by Dali. But that isn't very long for my taste. If your looking for entertainment that'll keep you in your seat through the opening sequence, don't buy this title.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A stunning, and mind-twisting thriller from the master...
Review: The psychological traumas and disorders explored here serve as the groundwork for one of Alfred Hitchcock's most enthralling and innovative films that keeps you guessing until the very end. It all revolves around Ingrid Bergman's character, a young psychoanalyst who has never allowed love to interfere with her thinking, work ethic, and studies. To her, falling in love is a loss of rationality. That begins to change when she meets a young, handsome man named Dr. Edwards, played by Gregory Peck and is immediately smitten. But as she finds out, he isn't who he seems, and, stranger still, no one, including him, can seem to figure out who he is.

What seperates this from other Hitchcock murder mysteries is that the puzzles here lie locked inside one man's mind. And it is up to Bergman to use her psychoanalytical training and testing to uncover what may very well be a deep and dark secret that Peck's mind has unknowingly tried to cover up. Involving what? Murder, naturally. But don't worry, there are plenty of surprises and twists to keep you at bay while watching this film.

A darkly romantic atmosphere and radical Freudian dream sequences, inspired by the works of Salvador Dali, make this a surreal and mysterious experience like only Hitchcock could conjure up. If you like Rebecca and Notorious, Hitch's other notables from the 1940s, then this film is definitely for you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A glimpse of a bygone era
Review: Starring Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck, this 1945 movie reflects the nation's love affair with Freudian psychology an gives me a clearer understanding of way our culture looked at psychology throughout my childhood. . Looking back now, it all seems rather naive, but way back it 1945, it was a way of explaining the mysteries of behavior and a breakthrough in modern thought. No wonder we grew up true believers

The story held my interest but certainly was not one of Hitchcock's best.

It just hints at the kind of tension that Hitchcock later mastered, moves much too slowly, and keeps taking time to explain to the audience just what psychology is and how it helps people.

Bergman is a good actress and lights up every scene. Gregory Peck is weaker, and the role he plays casts him as wimp. It's a role that some men might have declined to play during that period of time, and it is to his credit that he took it on.

A film like this makes me realize just how far the pendulum has swung in our attitudes towards psychology in general and how much of the Freudian logic is still etched deeply on our consciousness. For that reason, I recommend it as glimpse of a bygone era, and to experience Ingrid Bergman at a high point in her career.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Spellbinding Intrigue!
Review: Who else but Alfred Hitchcock could set a romance in a metal institution and make it work marvelously? Gregory Peck arrives at Green Manors, as the new director, Dr. Edwards. His behavior is somewhat odd and begins to arouse suspicion amongst the staff. Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman), a staff psychiatrist, begins to realize that he is an impostor, and most likely an amnesiac. But there is one small problem: she's fallen in love with him. Constance's love for Peck becomes all consuming and she is determined to find out the mystery surrounding him and the real Dr. Edwards. Peck's character believes he has killed Dr. Edwards, but Constance thinks otherwise and she brings Peck to former mentor Dr. Alex Brulov (Michael Chekhov) for his help. After staying the night, Peck recalls a dream he had, which Dr. Petersen and Dr. Brulov interpret. Convinced that Peck is not a murderer, they try to discover what really happened to Dr. Edwards and why Peck impersonated him. The dream sequences were created by Salvador Dali and they add a sophisticated polish to the narrative. You expect drama, intrigue, and complexity from Hitchcock and we get it in spades (or should I say clubs; it will make sense when you see the film). Bergman is luminous and completely believable as Constance, and Peck is on target as the confused amnesiac. The cinematography in this film is used to great dramatic effect, with many extreme closeups of Bergman and Peck, who both communicate more with their facial expressions than most actors do with words. Chekhov is wonderful as Bergman's former professor whose paternal affection for Bergman is quite touching. There is a great scene early in the film with Rhonda Fleming, as a man hating temptress, and Bergman that sets the stage for things to come. With all this talk about Freud and psychoanalysis, Spellbound is still at its core a love story. The deeper in love with Peck that Bergman becomes, the more her womanly emotions, seemingly long pent up, are released. As she helps Peck on his road of self-discovery, she seems to also help herself down that same road. Made during Hollywood's golden years, produced by David O. Selznick, and starring two of film's all-time great movie stars, Spellbound is a movie that grows more and appealing as the years go by. If you enjoy this film, you probably will like Marnie, which is similar in many ways only it's the man helping the woman discover the underlying truth behind the falsehood. A great double feature.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Hitchcock Movie!
Review: In my opinion, "Spellbound" is one of Hitchcock's most underrated films. It was a great movie, from teh romance to the suspense Hitch is so famous for. The score for the movie is also great (It won an Academy Award!) The romance in this movie is also great, it's very innocent and sweet. "Spellbound" is enjoyable as a romance or as a suspense thriller. The POVs are great. How many times do I have to say "great" to convince you? It is a really good film and I really don't know why it hasn't gained as much fame as Hitchcock's other movies, because I really think it belongs up there. Although it has a few flaws-some cheesy scenes- it's still a very good movie. Go and buy it now!


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