I was flabbergasted. Not only had I never heard of this movie, I thought "gaslight" was a new term, like Karen, Boomer, rizz, etc.
Being the curious sort that I am, I looked it up online. This "thriller / mystery" was made in 1944. It stars Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Joseph Cotten. I love that 18 year old Angela Lansbury has a role as a saucy maid!
I had to get it from the library to watch it for myself! Adapted from a 1938 play written by Patrick Hamilton, the movie basically "follows a young woman whose husband slowly manipulates her into believing that she is descending into insanity." (Wikipedia)
Watching it was so frustrating! Bergman slowly transforms from a talented, spirited young woman in love into a timid, terrified shell of a person afraid of her home and afraid of leaving it. This was a movie where I yelled at the screen. "Don't listen to him! Run! Kill him!" (Yes, I got a bit bloodthirsty after seeing this man destroy her with deceitful words.)
I'm glad I watched it because it gives so much more depth to the word "gaslighting" than I had previously understood. It made me curious to watch more Ingrid Bergman movies. (Joseph Cotten plays the good guy who helps uncover the crimes. I cheered him on.)
