From an evaluative quality comparison standpoint it is not as good as milos forman’s one flew over the cuckoo’s nest, sam fuller’s shock corridor or terry gilliam’s 12 monkeys but it’s still an archiveable film—it’s not quite as good as a beautiful mind from ron howard even
It’s a bit of an exposes- reminded me of 1932’s I am a fugitive from a chain gang (meant to exploit the prison systems)- this actually got laws changed in a lot of states. De Havilland isn’t quite Paul Muni here and the film isn’t directed by the great LeRoy
4th of de Havilland’s 5th oscar noms
One of two very solid films form director Litvak in 1948- sorry, wrong number is the other and the panic he shows in de havilliand’s face is similar to the one, in horror, he shows in sorry, wrong number– I see parallels
Shock therapy use
Strong use of de havilland’s inner monologue of her ravings and inner thoughts
Love seeing de Havilland disheveled- bags under eyes- she’s great here- it’s a very good performance
Her co-stars don’t fair as well-Mark Stevens and Leo Glenn are not known for a reason- not up to snuff- very anonymous
Some very good editing sequences matched together as we jump back and forth in her mind and memories- I saw some very vague similarities to eternal sunshine
Absolutely superb aerial shot of the floor of the madhouse as a snake pit with some superimposition and an overhead shot
[…] The Snake Pit– Litvak […]