--- title: "Spellbound: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/spellbound/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/spellbound" critics_score: 63 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Spellbound (1945): what the critics said Critics' score 63 from 8 reviews: 4 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics come down on the film’s side, though few do so without qualification. The praise gathers around Hitchcock’s direction, which is called stylish and suspenseful across the board, and around Ingrid Bergman, whose performance is singled out more often than Gregory Peck’s. The Salvador Dalí dream sequence is mentioned in most reviews, and the production values of a top-budget Selznick picture are noted approvingly. The reservations cluster on the story, and even the dream sequence is called predictable or disruptive by some. Several reviews find the Freudian plotting thin or silly, the mystery unconvincing and the ending dippy or slack, and more than one mentions friction between producer and director. Empire questions whether Bergman convinces as a psychiatrist and finds little chemistry between the leads. The spread is wide, from a B+ to Collider’s verdict that it is a misfire, if a fascinating one; that is the only outright dismissal. ## The New York Times — Bosley Crowther Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 November 1945. Hitchcock has created his most mature melodrama yet, blending suspense with genuine emotional depth in the story of a woman psychiatrist's devotion to an amnesiac patient. The film stands out for its sensitive portrayal of human affection alongside the director's signature touches of peril and psychological intrigue. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1945/11/11/archives/hitchcock-marches-on-tradition-plus.html) ## Time Out — HM Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2014. The film is a straightforward tale of a psychoanalyst falling for her amnesiac boss who may be a killer, with Hitchcock adding suspenseful twists like parallel lines in Peck's mind. The imagery can be overblown and the Dalí dream sequences predictable, but moments towards the end show the images and ideas working well together. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/spellbound) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1944. Selznick and Hitchcock deliver a top-budget psychological mystery with strong production values, suspenseful direction, and a standout surreal dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali. The film maintains pace despite some scientific dialogue, highlighted by fine performances from Bergman and Peck. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1944/film/reviews/spellbound-1200414466/) ## Empire — David Parkinson Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2006. The review highlights the film's pioneering use of Freudian psychoanalysis and Expressionist visuals, including a notable Salvador Dalí dream sequence, while noting producer interference and censorship issues. It criticizes the lack of chemistry between Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck and questions Bergman's suitability as a psychiatrist. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/spellbound-2-review/) ## The New Yorker — John McCarten Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 27 October 1945. The review covers Hitchcock's use of Freudian psychiatry in the murder mystery plot. It notes the film's blend of analysis and suspense alongside other current releases. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1945/11/03/1945-11-03-069-tny-cards-000017397) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B+. 31 October 2012. Praises the strong work in visuals and Bergman's performance but notes the convoluted plot and dippy conclusion. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/retrospective-the-films-of-alfred-hitchcock-pt-2-1940-1976-the-hollywood-years-20121031/3/) ## Eye for Film — Yusuf Javed Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 13 August 2010. The critic finds it a good watch but warns against overhyping it, noting friction from the production and pacing issues at the end. Praises the performances of Bergman and Peck, and Hitchcock's stylish direction, especially the dream sequence and final shot. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/spellbound-film-review-by-yusuf-javed) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 21 April 2012. The critic calls Spellbound a Hitchcock misfire and fascinating failure, noting its surface-level Freudian analysis fails to conceal a silly story with an unconvincing mystery and chase. The Salvador Dalí dream sequence is singled out as interesting but disruptive imagery that stops the film cold. [Read the review](https://collider.com/rebecca-spellbound-notorious-blu-ray-reviews/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/spellbound.md