Highly Overrated But Still Good

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

. . . circa the 1760s, with this tale ripped from Yesteryear's headlines, BEDLAM. "It's a bad time for the Poor, and the People suffer," observes Quaker stonemason William Hannay (22:20). "You have no idea what a great responsibility it is to be Rich," replies wigged Fat Cat One Per Center Lord Mortimer, launching into an itemized list of tailored clothes, manicures, spa treatments, and gourmet feasts washed down with rare wines "needed to keep up appearances." BEDLAM heroine Nell Bowen responds "Maybe being Rich and Powerful is infectious--it's a disease I don't want to catch!" (26:30). When BEDLAM "Apothecary General" Master Sims is forced by the insane asylum inmates to defend his decades of torturing, caging, whipping, chaining, and murdering them (as well as stealing their food), Sims notes that he's been afraid to offend his Rich patrons because they've allowed him to create more Heaven for himself on Earth than he expects to enjoy in the Hereafter. BEDLAM, therefore, argues that True Believers such as Bill Hannay must--by definition--be Poor, while Rich folks can fully expect to reap the whirlwind, as they are consistently warned throughout the scriptures.

The last of several films Mark Robson directed under Val Lewton in the 1940s (a crop which included the standout "The Seventh Victim"), "Bedlam" bases itself on a fictionalized version of the Bethlem Royal Hospital where a cruel overlord (played by Boris Karloff) governs his madhouse where a young heroine finds herself imprisoned.As other reviewers have noted, this is not so much a "horror" film in the standard sense of the word-but then again, neither are several of the Lewton films of this period. "Bedlam" is a drama first, with shades of horror and suspense folded in. It's somewhat plot-heavy, though not as convoluted as some of the Robson-Lewton efforts, and does boast some memorable cinematography and a significant sense of unease and claustrophobia.It at times reminded me somewhat of the 1964 film "Shock Treatment" starring Lauren Bacall, which seems to have taken its cues from "Bedlam" and transposed them in the twentieth century. The cast is rather large, with Anna Lee leading as the formidable heroine, and Karloff giving a deranged performance that is noteworthy. The film's climax is a definite selling point here, and the last act is particularly interesting, outshining what comes before it by leaps and bounds.All in all, "Bedlam" is a solid film that offers Robson's signature atmosphere with the eighteenth century period-piece finishings. For a picture about madness, it is appropriately mad, and though not a cutthroat horror epic by any means, it is fairly unsettling at moments and relentlessly atmospheric. Not a flawless film by any means-it is somewhat tonally uneven-but worthwhile no less. 7/10.

This is one of the creepiest films on asylums I've ever seen I've ever seen. Bedlam stars Boris Karloff and this might be the most vile role that Karloff has ever played: Master George Sims.The movie is pure fiction - it is not based on a true story. It's a fictional story about St. Mary's of Bethlehem Asylum AKA Bedlam and it's a good story. Honestly, I don't doubt that there is some sort of truth within this film because many of us have heard real life horror stories about Bedlam before the reform or should I say the modern era.This movie is worth watching if you like creepy movies about asylums, Gothic-styled thrillers, and horror films. The movie is quite a bit underrated on IMDb (in my opinion).9/10

This was the very first time i saw the 1946 movie bedlam.i recently purchased this 3.00 DVD with two movies on it,the other one is isle of the dead which i will review next time,but bedlam was a great movie even by todays standards.Boris Karloff is at his wicked best as Sims who runs the asylum known as bedlam,his co star is Anna Lee who i think was an awesome actress and beauty.there's a lot of uncredited stars that turn up as the inmates like John Carridine,Robert Clarke,and Ellen Corby who would go on to play on TVs the Walton's.bedlam is a very well made movie by Val Lewton and Mark Robson.who did many rko classics like i walked with a zombie and isle of the dead.rich in atmosphere and mood bedlam was a low budget movie but it does'nt show.I'm not giving any spoilers because all Karloff fans will enjoy this classic thriller.no monsters in this but it will make anyone shudder.for this was a very real thriller known as bedlam which did exist many years ago.kudos and props to the late great Boris Karloff for this tour de force performance.as i mentioned Robert Clarke plays an inmate known as the dog.he went on to star in the hideous sun demon and beyond the time barrier,and yes the low budget incredible petrified world where again he would star with John Carridine.10 out of 10.bedlam rocks!