Spellbound (1945 film)

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Spellbound
original film poster
Directed by	Alfred Hitchcock
Produced by	David O. Selznick
Written by	Hilary St. George Sanders (novel) Angus MacPhail (adaptation) Ben Hecht (screenplay) John Palmer (novel - uncredited)
Starring	Ingrid Bergman Gregory Peck Michael Chekhov Leo G. Carroll Rhonda Fleming
Music by	Miklós Rózsa
Cinematography	George Barnes
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date(s)	October 31, 1945 (U.S. release)
Running time	111 min.
Language	English
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Spellbound (1945), a psychological thriller/mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, tells the story of the new head of a mental asylum who turns out not to be what he claims to be. It stars Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov and Leo G. Carroll.

The movie was adapted by Angus MacPhail and Ben Hecht from the novel The House Of Dr. Edwardes by Francis Beeding.

This movie was a major point of contention between Alfred Hitchcock and David O. Selznick. Selznick had Hitchcock under contract, and directed him to make a movie based upon Selznick's experiences in psychoanalysis. Selznick even brought his therapist on board as the technical advisor. She and Hitchcock clashed frequently. Hitchcock also brought in artist Salvador Dalí to conceive certain scenes of mental delusion, which Selznick hated.

Although much of Dalí's work was used, one dream sequence depicting Bergman turning into a statue of the Greek goddess Diana was cut. There has been a lot of fan interest in restoring this material, but the footage apparently no longer exists (there are, however, some production stills of the sequence).

The film boasts an orchestral score by Miklós Rózsa notable for its pioneering use of the theremin.

Spellbound won the Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Michael Chekhov), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Director, Best Effects, Special Effects and Best Picture.

Although popular in its day, Spellbound in recent years has generally been sidelined in favour of Hitchcock's other great films. Critics argue that the central premise of psychology as proposed in this film is outdated and even childish. François Truffaut in his series of interviews with Hitchcock said that he was disappointed in this film despite being fascinated by the legendary dream sequence and the "doors-within-doors" kissing scene between Bergman and Peck. Hitchcock himself dismissed it later on as "just another manhunt wrapped in pseudo-psychology".

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Spellbound (1945 film)

Alfred Hitchcock's films

1920s: The Pleasure Garden • The Mountain Eagle • The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog • Downhill • Easy Virtue • The Ring • The Farmer's Wife • Champagne • The Manxman • Blackmail • 1930s: Juno and the Paycock • Murder! • Elstree Calling • The Skin Game • Mary • Number Seventeen • Rich and Strange • Waltzes from Vienna • The Man Who Knew Too Much • The 39 Steps • Secret Agent • Sabotage • Young and Innocent • The Lady Vanishes • Jamaica Inn • 1940s: Rebecca • Foreign Correspondent • Mr. & Mrs. Smith • Suspicion • Saboteur • Shadow of a Doubt • Lifeboat • Aventure Malgache • Bon Voyage • Spellbound • Notorious • The Paradine Case • Rope • Under Capricorn • 1950s: Stage Fright • Strangers on a Train • I Confess • Dial M for Murder • Rear Window • To Catch a Thief • The Trouble with Harry • The Man Who Knew Too Much • The Wrong Man • Vertigo • North by Northwest • 1960s: Psycho • The Birds • Marnie • Torn Curtain • Topaz • 1970s: Frenzy • Family Plot