Bedlam (1946)
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88% of critics liked it
(16 reviews) -
53% of users liked it
(1,617 ratings)
Bedlam is one of the costlier psychological-horror efforts from RKO producer Val (Curse of the Cat People) Lewton. Boris Karloff stars as the supervisor of the notorious 18th century British insane asylum St. Mary's of Bethlehem, better known as "Bedlam." Anna Lee, who co-stars as the… More Bedlam is one of the costlier psychological-horror efforts from RKO producer Val (Curse of the Cat People) Lewton. Boris Karloff stars as the supervisor of the notorious 18th century British insane asylum St. Mary's of Bethlehem, better known as "Bedlam." Anna Lee, who co-stars as the feisty mistress of a fatuous government official, is appalled by the miserable treatment afforded the Bedlam inmates and insists that reforms be initiated. The crafty, politically connected Karloff responds by having Lee herself incarcerated in the institution: she is a "willful woman", and therefore must be insane. With the help of a few of the more rational patients, Lee stages a mutiny, capturing Karloff and giving him a mock trial. Though they don't truly intend to harm Karloff, he is seriously injured by one of his tormented patients. Assuming that Karloff is dead, the other inmates wall up his body in the cellar--and as the last brick is put in place, we see Karloff's eyes suddenly open! Though it has it moments of genuine terror, Bedlam is as historically accurate as possible, right down to the archaic dialogue passages. For the most part, the film is an indictment against political corruption, with Karloff (in a terrific, multi-faceted performance) alternately bullying and wheedling to save his own behind. Val Lewton (writing under the pseudonym Carlos Keith) based his film on one of the illustrations in Hogarth's "The Rake's Progress," glimpses of which are seen throughout the film as transitional devices. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Mark Robson
- Written By
- William Hogarth, Val Lewton
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1946 Wide
Critic Reviews
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Nicholas Musaraca's excellent cinematography contributes a number of fine effects, and there's a strange and witty aside on the invention of movies.
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Bosley Crowther, New York Times
While the film has a tendency to wander into unadulterated Hollywoodisms in spots, it is a generally straight-forward and imaginative estimate of a two-century-old sociological theme.
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, Time Out
Robson's notably unpoetic direction doesn't help, either; yet few Hollywood films ever had such ambition.
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Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
A weak end to a great career [for producer Val Lewton], but not, in and of itself, a bad movie.
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Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
Lewton had something to say. Perhaps inevitably, he found less interesting ways of saying it over the course of nine films in a short four years.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Anna Lee
as Neil Rowen
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Boris Karloff
as Master George Sims
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Billy House
as Lord Mortimer
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Richard Fraser
as Hannay
- Glen Vernon
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Glenn Vernon
as The Gilded Boy
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Jason Robards Sr.
as Oliver Todd
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Joan Newton
as Dorothea
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Ian Wolfe
as Sidney Long
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Leyland Hodgson
as John Wilkes
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Elizabeth Russell
as Mistress Simms
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Polly Bailey
as Scrub Woman
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Ellen Corby
as Queen of the Artichokes
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Bruce Edwards
as The Warder
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Harry Harvey
as John Gray
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George Holmes
as 2nd Stonemason
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John Ince
as Judge
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Skelton Knaggs
as Varney
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Donna Lee
as Cockney Girl
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Nan Leslie
as Cockney Girl
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James Logan
as Bailiff
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Robert Manning
as John the Footman
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Lawrence Wheat
as Podge
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Robert Clarke
as Dan the Dog
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Tommy Noonan
as 1st Stonemason
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Frank Pharr
as 2nd Commissioner
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John W. Goldsworthy
as Chief Commissioner
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John Meredith
as 1st Maniac
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Victor Travers
as Sims' Friend
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John Beck
as Solomon