Bedlam

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Bedlam

1946,

1h 19m,

Horror

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Watchlist

90%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

20 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

After getting a glimpse of the conditions at the St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum, known as "Bedlam," Nell Bowen (Anna Lee) is concerned that the patients are being mistreated. When she seeks to better the situation, the head of St. Mary's, George Sims (Boris Karloff), uses his political savvy to have Nell committed. Being within St. Mary's does not deter Nell, however, and she starts to turn the patients against Sims in a bid to violently oust him from power.

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Nov 14, 2007

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

Mar 25, 2006

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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Tony Rayns

Time Out

Jan 26, 2006

Robson's notably unpoetic direction doesn't help, either; yet few Hollywood films ever had such ambition.

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Ellie Lucas

From the Front Row

Nov 29, 2021

2.5/4

Attempts to balance horror with social conscience in a way that doesn't always work, but Lee and Karloff make for excellent foils, and it's thrilling to watch the two of them go toe to toe in a kind of proto-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Oct 29, 2021

3/4

Another top-flight performance from Karloff.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Feb 20, 2021

4/5

...Mark Robson's film finally rolls over to reveal a modern heart in the right place...

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Hermione S

Feb 11, 2017

A stylish and atmospheric Gothic horror film from producer Val Lewton starring Boris Karloff. It is an interesting story well told. I quite enjoyed it.

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Rey R

Oct 31, 2015

A critical look at insane asylums at the turn of the 16th century in the form of a compelling story involving the gentry, Quakers, entertainers and the insane.

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Mark Robson

Director

Boris Karloff

Master George Sims

Anna Lee

Nell Bowen

Billy House

Lord Mortimer

Glenn Vernon

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Synopsis

After getting a glimpse of the conditions at the St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum, known as "Bedlam," Nell Bowen (Anna Lee) is concerned that the patients are being mistreated. When she seeks to better the situation, the head of St. Mary's, George Sims (Boris Karloff), uses his political savvy to have Nell committed. Being within St. Mary's does not deter Nell, however, and she starts to turn the patients against Sims in a bid to violently oust him from power.

Director: Mark Robson
Producer: Val Lewton
Screenwriter: Val Lewton, Mark Robson
Distributor: Image Entertainment Inc., RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co: RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 10, 1946, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 19m

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