I noticed on the DVD for this movie that there was a 1940 version that this was based upon. Does anyone know why they would remake a movie only 4 years after the original? It seems very strange to me that this would happen. If anyone knows, please fill me in.
shareThe 1940 version was a British production. This 1944 remake was the US production, made with internationally-known stars.
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The American remake was far superior to the original British production with Anton Walbrook, with more compelling direction, dialogue and character development and interaction. The British version seems rather slow and clunky by comparison.
shareIt all depends on your point of view. I found Charles Boyer's and especially Ingrid Bergman's scenary chewing most annoying and amateurish. Diana Wynyard's more subtle approach was much more appealing to me. But, that's not just my opinion :-) By all means, both versions should be seen before making up one's mind. For me, after seeing them back to back, as shown a few years ago on TCM, the MGM version was rendered unwatchable.
shareProbably because Ingrid Bergman's in it. She was a fireball in this movie. I mean, she was beautiful in other movie and in photograph, but in this movie she was HOT.
The original British version has better writing though.
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GASLIGHT was based on a hit play, ANGEL STREET by Patrick Hamilton, which was filmed as GASLIGHT in England in 1940. The play later transferred successfully to Broadway (where it starred Vincent Price) and then MGM made their film of it, GASLIGHT. To avoid confusion and competition, MGM did its best over the years to keep the earlier version suppressed, though it occasionally turned up as ANGEL STREET.
I was delighted that both versions are included on the DVD, though I'd already seen each several times. Each has its merits - the 1940 version is closer to the play's structure - the MGM version has more "backstory" and is kind of over-blown, and the performances in both are excellent (too bad so few people are familiar with Diana Wynyard today - she was a wonderful actress). In the final confrontation there's a great, sudden close-up of Anton Walbrooks's eyes which tells us he's gone completely insane - Boyer doesn't have a moment quite like that.
"...don't let's ask for the moon - we have the stars!"
filmed as GASLIGHT in England in 1940
It's been very interesting to read all of your opinions here, since I've always wondered if the British version was worth hunting down on a DVD. Now I'm not sure anymore, but maybe only for comparing, for the fun of it. (if it's cheap)
Thanks Space Hog, for bringing up the subject!
just so you know, if you order the 1944 version from amazon.com, you get the 1940 British version on the B side..
shareAccording to Leonard Maltin's movie book the first British 1940 version was best, then MGM/Hollywood had to make a remake to be better. MGM even tried to destroy the first one! Presumably to have the best movie. These days Hollywood still has to copy foreign films to be beter than everyone else. Yes, sometimes they do make a better verion, but they should also acknowledge that it is a copy.
sharemy dvd had both versions as well. out of curiosity i watched the 1940s version after the Ingrid Bergman version. The 1940 cut was much, much shorter than the remake. It didn't give as much room for character or story development. my guess is that the studio thought they could do a better job with a longer movie and more "bankable" actors. The '44 version clearly had a larger budget. Overall it was the same movie and some of the verbiage was verbatim.
shareI don't know, but I find it interesting that a number of folks on this board don't seem to know that this version is a remake. Yet they are complaining about the thought of this movie being remade....
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JimHutton (1934-79) & ElleryQueen