Spellbound

I think that the other reviewer rather prefers the overstatement of todays slashers eg "Friday The 13th",to more understated horror films.During the Second world war a number of films were produced which dealt with the afterlife.the most famous being "A Matter of life And Death".People wanted to believe that their sacrifice was not in vain and that though left behind could look forward to meeting their deceased friends and relatives in the next world.This is one such film only with a rather creepy malevolent streak,very reminiscent of the films of Val Lewton which were to follow.It is true that many scenes are understated,but that was the way things were in those days.Death was common place,after all you could be killed by a bomb hitting the cinema in which you were watching it before the end of this film.You really cannot judge films of a different era by standards of today.This film was totally unknown to me before i saw it and i would say that if you are interested in the genre this is certainly worth catching up on.

As a Psychic Medium and Channeller/Trance Medium myself, the spiritual side of this is pretty accurate without all the usual corny tropes. Sadly, it does descend into melodrama and silliness very quickly, and the ending is far too simple if something/some entity has actually taken hold of a physical body. The daft idea of not touching a spirit-person doesn't help either. Spirt is around us all the time, continuously interacting with us.

As usual with this type of horror/fantasy of the spiritual realms, I feel the subject was only partly understood by the writer.

It's a curio of the times and, bearing that in mind, is fairly enjoyable.

OMG! This film started off slow albeit with hope. Then it slowed down some more ~ then just fizzled out all together. Obviously the writers/directors/producers et al somehow saw fit to avoid every conceivable, reasonable plot and storyline to create any kind of 'film' whatsoever. How many lame questions were left unanswered? Then this feeble piece just kind of limped off into the credits. Did the movie ever actually end? ~ 'cause I certainly missed it. Having worked in H~Wood I cannot comprehend how this empty vessel of paste was ever even created let alone invested in and then sailed through all of the flashing RED LIGHTS + DANGER signs through to the big screen. I felt so ashamed having watched it {rather having endured the 1.5 hrs. Of suffering-} that I quickly erased all traces and then took a long hot bath {and washed my hair}. I am still in therapy dealing with the PTSD. LOL Enjoy ~

A terribly terribly posh film where the main characters speak in a very silly odd posh accent with has largely died out now, thank goodness.

Due to large number of recent deaths being on the horizon, WWII having just started, this may have been an attempt do discourage those who may have been tempted to get involved in spiritualism not to do so and thus avoid being ripped off.

As a warning of the dangers it was a bit of a soft approach, the leading male character should have been made to suffer a bit more mental anguish and not have had a happy ending.

Well worth watching even if the acting is very wooden most of the time.

This film must be watched bearing in mind the context. It's 1941 for crying out loud--it's not The Exorcist. Green vomit hadn't yet been invented, thank God. And, furthermore, this is a British film, which means it is even more restrained than an American film. But that's its strength. It is slow, yes, but deeply penetrating because of its pace.

If you get antsy watching actors seated in a room talking; if you crave special effects; if silence bores you, then you probably won't like it. I imagine that you probably would not enjoy classic Victorian novels, either. But I do, and this movie puts me in a similar frame of mind.

Great actors all. Everyone believes in their respective roles. Wonderful dark-room photography, reminiscent of Capra's midnight filming in Arsenic and Old Lace.

Well worth watching.