BEDLAM (1946) St. Elsewhere it ain't

After seeing an excellent documentary on cult producer Val Lewton, I watched one of his movies, BEDLAM, directed by Mark Robson and starring Boris Karloff. This low-budget flick is generally described as a horror movie, which the title certainly suggests, but it's really more of a melodrama with scattered thrills – plus some marvelously witty dialog. A woman (Anna Lee) investigating conditions in the notorious St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum – aka Bedlam – is committed on a trumped up charge by its sadistic head (Karloff). Initially, she is repulsed by the horrors of her surroundings. But soon she befriends many of the inmates, which leads to a downright Poe-ish climax. The entire cast is excellent, but Karloff steals the show as the creepy, albeit intelligent and witty Master Sims. Other famous and more successful Lewton-Robson collaborations include CAT PEOPLE and its sequel, CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE.