A brave and challenging subject as a psychiatrist protects her patient as he tries to recover his memory, increasingly convinced he is guilty of murder.
The new head of the Green Manors clinic Gregory Peck (To Kill a Mockingbird, Cape Fear) is not all he appears to be, much to the consternation of in-house psychiatrist Dr Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman – Casablanca, Autumn Sonata). Romance between the two blossoms, but things are not quite right, forcing them to retrace his movements as nightmares and random moments of recall affect his behaviour.
Psychoanalytic exploration intertwined with suspense from Alfred Hitchcock as Peck and Bergman hit the road in order to find out exactly what happened at the ski resort. As Peck’s dreams (designed by Salvador Dali) become increasingly bizarre and symbolic so Petersen and her mentor, Dr Brulov (Michael Chekov – Rhapsody, Invitation) beging to understand the unfolding chain of events.
Plenty of twists for fans of suspense but ultimately Spellbound becomes a little too academic and theory based as dreams are deconstructed and behaviour analysed.
Nominated for 6 Oscars in 1946 including best film, director, supporting actor – won 1 for best score (Miklós Rózsa).
Rating: 62%
An Opinion or Two 