Bedlam

Bedlam (1945) *** (out of 4) In 1761 London a woman (Anna Lee) tries to change the torturous ways of an asylum ran by the crazed warden (Boris Karloff) but soon finds herself an inmate. The story here remains somewhat interesting all the way through but there's a bit too much talk in the supporting roles. The main interest here is the conflict between Lee and Karloff. Both give very good performances especially Karloff and the fear he shows in the final act of the film. Had the entire film been as good as the end then this would have been an all time classic in the genre. As it is, it's an impressive but flawed film.

This film is yet another outstanding example of Karloff during his time at RKO. I find this film to be eerie and genuinely disturbing, when one sees inside the mental institution. Although Karloff gives a fine performance, my own particular favourite here has to be Anna Lee as Nell, who appeared later as the nosy neighbour in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" It is such a tragedy that so many similar films of the period have been lost due to decay of the archives. Luckily, this one has survived, and my advice is to see it if you get the chance.

Bedlam is an odd and interesting film. Anna Lee is Nell, a witty young woman who functions as a sort of court jester for a noble. She is goaded into visiting Bedlam, an insane asylum that holds tours so the rich can laugh at the insane. Nell affects the air of a cynical, frivolous wit, but she is disturbed by the treatment of the inmates at the hands of Boris Karloff's psychopathic George Sims. Karloff and Lee are both terrific, and the atmosphere is beautifully created, both in the lush homes of the elite and in the chaotic Bedlam. While producer Val Lewton was known as a horror movie producer, his movies were always more complex than that, and this is a movie of psychological horror. The story is compelling and the movie does a good job of showing the power of both hate and love to affect people.