Movie of the Week - Spellbound

This week’s movie is Spellbound (1945).

The film is about a psychiatrist who falls in love with the new head of the clinic that she works at, but not all is what it seems with this man. He is hiding a murderous secret. The film is directed by Alfred Hitchcock and features a fantastic score from Miklos Rozsa, masterful cinematography from (possibly the greatest D.P. of all time) George Barnes and abstract design from artist Salvador Dali. It is also one of the films Hitchcock made with famous producer and personal antagonist David O. Selznick. Hollywood legends Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck star in the film and both give good performances. The film is a bit dated now and its look at psychotherapy seems odd to present viewers, but Hitchcock’s approach to the material rewards viewers with a good drama/mystery that really gets good in the second half and Hitchcock uses some interesting shots to heighten the tension and suspense. What makes the film great is Hitchcock’s collaboration with his actors and crew resulting in an interesting visual film that while socially and culturally out of touch with current audiences still has the ability to draw them in and have them hooked through the last shot. It is not Hitchcock’s best work, but it is a solid film and a must of fans of his films. Check out the trailer.

Spellbound [DVD]