You’ve probably heard the term “gaslight” before, or maybe the verb form of it, “gaslighting,” but you may be surprised to learn the word’s origin. Gaslight was a film long before it was a popular term to describe a type of emotional abuse that leaves the victims constantly doubting themselves and their reality. The 1944 film Gaslight is still a classic of the suspense genre to this day. It earns this reputation not just because of its tense plot and atmosphere, but also due to the amazing cast that brings the story to life. Ingrid Bergman, just two years after her stunning turn as Ilsa in Casablanca, plays Paula and Angela Lansbury (yes, Murder She Wrote’s Jessica Fletcher herself) plays Nancy.

Bergman won an Oscar for her performance and Lansbury was nominated for supporting actress. Charles Boyer also received an Oscar nomination for his performance in Gaslight. While Boyer may not be as well known a name today as Lansbury or Bergman, he starred in over 80 films in his career and regularly played romantic leads in the 30s and 40s. Dame May Whitty plays the gossipy comic relief neighbor and Joseph Cotten of Citizen Kane and A Philadelphia Story fame also has a supporting role. A Philadelphia Story’s director George Cukor was also the director of Gaslight. Cukor eventually went on to win an Oscar for directing My Fair Lady.

Gaslight was nominated for an impressive seven Academy Awards and won for Best Leading Actress and Best Art Direction in a Black and White Film. Gaslight lost Best Picture to Going My Way, a musical dramedy starring Bing Crosby. The film continues to be a beloved and respected classic and in 2019 the Library of Congress selected it to be included in the National Film Registry. Now, if you're wondering how to watch this classic movie, here's a handy guide that'll answer that very question.

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Image via Loew's, Inc.

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What Is Gaslight About?

Ingrid Bergman as Paula Alquist looking confused in the film Gaslight.
Image via Loew's, Inc.

Set in Victorian London, Gaslight tells the story of Paula (Ingrid Bergman), a beautiful young woman who, after a whirlwind courtship, moves back into her childhood home with her new husband, Gregory (Charles Boyer). Paula finds returning home more upsetting than expected as it is the first time she has been in the house since her aunt Alice’s murder. Alice, a wealthy and world-famous singer, had raised Paula until her untimely and violent death. What follows is a psychological thriller that plays on the minds of the audience just as much as it does on Paula's sanity.

Gregory quickly but subtly turns the live-in servants, Nancy (played by Angela Lansbury) and Elizabeth (played by Barbara Everest), against Paula. When Paula tells Gregory that she worries Nancy doesn’t like her, Gregory insists it’s just in Paula’s head and it “hurts [him] when she’s ill and fanciful.” Gregory tells Paula how worried he is about her, accusing her of being strangely suspicious and absent-minded since their arrival in London. Distressed, Paula tearfully admits to Gregory that she is “beginning not to trust [her] memory at all.” Even when alone in the house, Paula keeps seeing the gas lighting in rooms dim and flicker, something that only happens when someone is adjusting the lights in another room. It isn’t long before Paula is living in fear of herself and her house, convinced by Gregory that her behavior is too bizarre and inappropriate for her to even appear in public.

Paula’s transformation from a woman who casually goes on vacations alone, to one who is scared to even leave her house without her husband is devastating to watch as Bergman shows why she won an Oscar for this performance. Charles Boyer’s Gregory Anton is a villain for the ages, effortlessly manipulative and casually cruel. The film’s title being used as a word to describe a specific type of manipulation isn’t so surprising considering how flawlessly the film depicts a textbook example of that.

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Is There a Trailer for Gaslight?

Gaslight's trailer is a fascinating look at how it was initially pitched to audiences: "the strange story of an international criminal's love for a great beauty."

Where Can You Stream Gaslight?

In good news for anyone who hasn’t had a chance to watch this classic yet, Gaslight is available on multiple streaming services. The film is streaming for free on The Roku Channel, which boasts a surprisingly deep library of classic films at no cost. Gaslight is also available to rent or purchase digitally on Amazon. The less well-known 1940 British version of Gaslight is also available for rent on Amazon and for streaming on Roku as well. If you prefer physical media, Gaslight is available to purchase on DVD or Blu-ray. It could make a fantastic gift for any classic film buffs in your life.

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More Classics like Gaslight That You Can Watch Now

Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman
Image via Warner Bros.

Vertigo (1958): This paranoia-soaked classic directed by Alfred Hitchcock focuses on Scottie (James Stewart), a man suffering from vertigo and a crippling fear of heights following a traumatic accident. Scottie accepts a job working as a private detective keeping an eye on Madeleine (Kim Novak), a woman whose husband claims she may be possessed. The tension builds slowly but inexorably as Scottie follows Madeleine through San Francisco, finding more and more evidence that something very strange is happening. Vertigo is streaming for free on Peacock and is available to purchase on DVD from Amazon and other DVD sellers.

Casablanca (1942): If Ingrid Bergman’s emotional tour-de-force in Gaslight has you curious to see more of her work, then be sure to check out Casablanca. Bergman is fantastic as Ilsa, a woman trying to flee to America with her husband Victor (Paul Henreid), a Czech war hero and resistance leader. With Nazis on their tail, they arrive in Casablanca where their paths cross with Rick, Ilsa’s cynical ex who claims to “stick [his] neck out for nobody.” Played by Humphrey Bogart, Rick Blaine remains one of the most quoted and misquoted characters in cinema. Fantastic performances are turned in by the entire cast, from the leads to Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt, Dooley Wilson, and the other supporting actors. This 1942 film about love, sacrifice, and idealism along the “tortuous, roundabout, refugee trail” out of Nazi-occupied Europe and to America is a must-watch. Casablanca is streaming on HBO Max and is available to rent or buy on Amazon.

Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984): This adaptation of George Orwell’s classic novel won Best British Film of the Year at the 1984 Evening Standard British Film awards. John Hurt plays Winston Smith, a man struggling to think and love in a country that, under the watchful eyes of its leader “Big Brother,” constantly rewrites its past and controls its citizens so carefully they are rarely even capable of thoughts that aren’t approved by Big Brother. Winston Smith’s desperate fight against a system that wants him to doubt his every thought and memory is an intense and thoughtful look at how totalitarian systems and leaders gaslight their own citizens. Nineteen Eighty-Four can be rented or purchased on Amazon.