Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Double Feature: Gaslight (1944) and Since You Went Away (1944)

Gaslight:

Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman star in the George Cukor's 1944 version of Gaslight. As a woman being driven into insanity, Bergman is sublime, and Boyer is well-suited as her treacherous husband. Joseph Cotten and Angela Lansbury also give fine supporting performances.

The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (Lansbury), Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography. Fittingly, Bergman won her first Oscar, and the film won a second Oscar for Best Art Direction.

Since You Went Away:

As a product of producer David O. Selznick, this 1944 wartime drama stars Claudette Colbert as a housewife whose husband has gone to fight overseas, leaving her with their two daughters (Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple). It is an enjoyable, sentimental film, akin to films like Mrs. Miniver, and also stars Joseph Cotten.

The film received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor (Monty Woolley), Best Supporting Actress (Jones), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Score (Drama or Comedy), and Best Special Effects. Despite its nine nominations, Joseph Cotten was unfortunately overlooked for a Best Supporting Actor nom.

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