There are very few things that I love more than a great Alfred Hitchcock movie, and Spellbound surely ranks as one of his best. An engaging take on psychoanalysis (one of the first films to ever tackle the subject), the narrative follows Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman) as she tries to help uncover the truth of a man suffering from amnesia who is potentially responsible for murder (Gregory Peck). Like the best Hitchcock films, the premise is a simple one but it's his direction that makes it such an appealing journey. We follow Constance and the mysterious man, who goes by the proxy John Brown, as they try to solve the mystery of not only his amnesia but of the murder that he thinks he has committed.
The film is endlessly watchable, thanks in part to Hitchcock's performance but also thanks to the superb chemistry between Bergman and Peck. Both actors work so well together, as lovers and as actors, creating a character dynamic that I could have continued watching for many more hours. They craft an immediately believable romance, but as their relationship deepens along their journey they never lose their spark. There wasn't a dull moment here. Bergman presented Petersen as a strong woman losing her focus out of love but always trying to remain in control of herself, while Peck was heartbreaking as the amnesiac who is convinced he has done something terrible but is tortured with the fact that he can't remember it. Michael Chekhov gained a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his supporting turn as Dr. Alexander Brulov, the psychiatrist who mentored Constance that the couple go to see for guidance when they're on the run.
With a lovely charm, some great Hitchcock comedy, an interesting take on the complexities of psychoanalysis and plenty of suspenseful scenes, Spellbound is a real winner. There's also the magnificently memorable dream sequence, designed by none other than Salvador Dali, which is hypnotic and leaves a powerful impression. This is a relatively simple film when it comes down to it, but I love every moment of it.
The film is endlessly watchable, thanks in part to Hitchcock's performance but also thanks to the superb chemistry between Bergman and Peck. Both actors work so well together, as lovers and as actors, creating a character dynamic that I could have continued watching for many more hours. They craft an immediately believable romance, but as their relationship deepens along their journey they never lose their spark. There wasn't a dull moment here. Bergman presented Petersen as a strong woman losing her focus out of love but always trying to remain in control of herself, while Peck was heartbreaking as the amnesiac who is convinced he has done something terrible but is tortured with the fact that he can't remember it. Michael Chekhov gained a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his supporting turn as Dr. Alexander Brulov, the psychiatrist who mentored Constance that the couple go to see for guidance when they're on the run.
With a lovely charm, some great Hitchcock comedy, an interesting take on the complexities of psychoanalysis and plenty of suspenseful scenes, Spellbound is a real winner. There's also the magnificently memorable dream sequence, designed by none other than Salvador Dali, which is hypnotic and leaves a powerful impression. This is a relatively simple film when it comes down to it, but I love every moment of it.