Film Studies

Cinema Classics Seminar: Gaslight

And The Award Goes To . . . : Leading Ladies
Tuesday, February 3, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm  
Instructor: Alice Bullitt, M.A., BMFI Board Member

Although the term “gaslighting” wasn’t fully cemented in the cultural zeitgeist until recent years, its origins derive from George Cukor’s psychological thriller masterpiece.  

Set in Victorian London, opera singer Paula Alquist (Ingrid Bergman in an Oscar-winning performance) marries her accompanist Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer) after a whirlwind courtship. Together, they move into the long-vacant townhouse previously occupied by her aunt, a renowned opera singer who was murdered ten years earlier. Through gradual isolation, control, condescension, and manipulation, Gregory manages to convince his trusting but increasingly bewildered bride that she is losing her mind. 

Gaslight (1944) belongs to the genre of melodrama or “woman’s film.” More specifically, it belongs to the subgenre of Gothic romance, popularized by several Alfred Hitchcock films of the 1940s (Rebecca, Suspicion) and literary adaptations like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. These Gothic romance films, according to film historian Diane Waldman, “permitted the articulation of feminine fear, anger, and distrust of the patriarchal order,” and as the term “Gothic” suggests, many of these films employ a noir aesthetic—the use of shadows and distorted spaces—to express the inner turmoil of their characters. Join us for a deep dive into this captivating and atmospheric classic! 

Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here. This And the Award Goes to…: Leading Ladies seminar is presented in partnership with 6abc in advance of the 98th Academy Awards.

Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.

Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Manager Jill Malcolm with any questions.