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Bedlam

Play trailer Poster for Bedlam 1946 1h 19m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 56% 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.
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Bedlam

Critics Reviews

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Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 11/14/2007
Nicholas Musaraca's excellent cinematography contributes a number of fine effects, and there's a strange and witty aside on the invention of movies. Go to Full Review Bosley Crowther New York Times 03/25/2006
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. Go to Full Review Tony Rayns Time Out 01/26/2006
Robson's notably unpoetic direction doesn't help, either; yet few Hollywood films ever had such ambition. Go to Full Review Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 11/29/2021
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. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 10/29/2021
3/4
Another top-flight performance from Karloff. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 02/20/2021
4/5
...Mark Robson's film finally rolls over to reveal a modern heart in the right place... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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j f @LiberteBurrows Oct 31 Those Quakers are alright. Real friendly bunch. See more Madoka A Jun 23 Fantastic. Spooky. Funny. Great product! Really good! See more deke p 10/17/2021 KARLOFF as warden of insane asylum, evil but not a monster. An interesting and unuaual plot. The pro reviewers' rating far more justified than the modern audiences' low ratings. Karloff's fate is similar to Poe's Cask of Amontillado. Glad I saw it, for the first time 10.16.2021 on 13.3 THE MOVIE CHANNEL. See more dave s 09/24/2021 Bedlam is a decent enough movie, but if you go into it expecting a horror film you are going to be bitterly disappointed. It's certainly understandable why one would expect some scares. Start with the poster…it looks a bit spooky. It stars Boris Karloff, the king of the horror film. It takes place in an asylum. It's promoted as a horror movie. But don't be fooled. It's the story of a woman concerned about the plight of the patients in a mental hospital and who is ultimately committed to the facility under false pretexts by the head of the hospital. Karloff, as usual, is creepy as all get out, the cinematography is great, and the lighting gives the film an eerie vibe throughout, but it is ultimately the story of the gap between the wealthy and the poor, as well as a comment on how mental illness was treated during a period when it wasn't understood. See more 02/11/2017 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. See more 06/25/2016 Some good ideas, but ultimately it doesn't work. See more Read all reviews
Bedlam

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Cast & Crew

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Mark Robson

Director

Boris Karloff

Master George Sims

Anna Lee

Nell Bowen

Billy House

Lord Mortimer

Glenn Vernon

The Gilded Boy

Jason Robards Sr.

Oliver Todd

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Bedlam

Bedlam (1946) Bedlam (1946) View more photos

Movie Info

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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