Bedlam

A headstrong woman (Anna Lee) runs afoul of the corrupt master (Boris Karloff) of an insane asylum.

Bedlam is a solid thriller from producer Val Lewton, featuring a great performance from Boris Karloff.

Karloff owns the movie with his portrayal of the corrupt but believable Master Sims. Rather than go over the top, Karloff gives us an ambitious man who’s very much the product of his environment, yet still evil to the core.

Opposite Karloff, Anna Lee is a much harder sell. For a Lord’s protégé, she comes off as very haughty and headstrong, qualities that would likely have seen her cast out of society. This is especially relevant when you contrast her character against Karloff’s, who, in many ways, is a byproduct of that very same society. Karloff’s character exists because it’s the only way a man like him could amass such power and influence, whereas the power and influence afforded Lee’s character hardly seems plausible and flies in the face of the script’s very message.

That said, the supporting cast is much more believable. Richard Fraser, who bears more than a passing resemblance to William Holden in this performance, does a really good job making his “thees” and “thous” seem natural as a pacifist Quake, and Billy House seems tailor made to the portly Lord Mortimer.

Ultimately, the combination of Karloff, the solid supporting cast, and producer Val Lewton’s signature atmosphere combine to overcome the film’s shortcomings, resulting in a tight, entertaining thriller, with some really unnerving moments.