Pretty Good

just watch it!

How sad is this?

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

NOTE: The following review is based on the full-length American version. The skilfully re-cut Australian version is a much better picture.COMMENT: Olivia De Havilland's performance is faulty and too obviously contrived, though she does seem real enough most of the time, unlike young Lora Lee Michel who convinces none of the time. Mark Stevens is none too solid in support and Leo Genn is too conventionally re-assuring. Fortunately Stevens' role is small but Genn's is large and his too-pat doctor is unconvincing enough to seriously fault the film as a whole. Celeste Holm has a funny role. She disappears from the film without explanation. Some of the patients are too much like caricatures to be believable. There is an obvious straining after effects in the acting, in the too-contrived script, too much weight on boring or unconvincing or stagily written, delivered and directed dialogue (note the scene in which all the kinky patients get a chance to display their particular brand of lunacy individually, each giving a turn one after the other like so many vaudeville acts). Contrivances in the plot ensure that the heroine gets a chance to sample all the wards, patients, nurses, doctors and treatments. These twists were probably not so obvious in the original novel but the mechanics are very patent in the film. Still director Litvak and his photographer and the art directors are at their best in the broad effects. The De H. story is too weighed down by her unsympathetic character, the too great a weight on dialogue, the clichés, and the director's penchant for unflattering (De H.) or too flattering close-ups (Genn). The main plot just isn't interesting enough because the De H. character herself isn't interesting or sympathetic enough. Oddly, the fact that she is so unglamorous weighs against her! If the doctors had been less cliched, the script might have got away with it, but as it is, the formula is not right. The film as a whole does not succeed, despite the power and the impact of many sequences. Litvak is at his best with groups, using effective crane and dolly shots, but otherwise the handling tends to look like superior TV.

Here is a rare thing in Hollywood at anytime, let alone 1948. "The Snake Pit" pulls few punches when it comes to some tough story telling. I often wondered why, after so many years of hearing good reports about this film, I never seemed able to catch this drama...not in theatres, on TV, or on video. I also imagine that films dealing with mental breakdowns might have been overlooked in many cinemas ~ as perhaps being too difficult to sell to a fickle public.'Snake Pit' is based on a semi-autobiographical novel by Mary Jane Ward, who also served as technical adviser on the film adaption. Oscar nominated screenplay writer/poet: Millen Brand, who along with his other published works addressing issues within mental institutions, adds an air of sincere authenticity to this, at times confronting movie. Two Other screenplay writers were also involved, which could explain the occasional nod toward clichés regards some of the institution staff. But these are very minor issues, and many may not even regard this as being the case. It's the performances that make this movie so astounding. Never would I have expected that Olivia De Haviland could turn in such a convincing performance, given that it's such a difficult character to portray - she is remarkable. Seems that Director: Anatole Litvak made sure all his cast attended special visits to mental health institutions for a total understanding of the roles they were dealing with. This is certainly evident, with so many excellent cast members scoring with searing interpretations. London born Leo Genn, (Mr Starbuck - Moby dick) is just right as the kindly psychiatrist looking to give his professional best to those under his charge. His casting is most interesting for this American production, and adds hugely to it's success. Genn, a qualified barrister before turning to an acting career, served as prosecutor for the British army during the Nazi war crimes trials at the dreaded Belsen concentration camp. Twice Oscar nominated Director of Photography: Leo Tover (A.K.F. The Heiress '49 ~ The Day The Earth Stood Still '51) makes sure every grueling moment is superbly captured on glorious black and white film. Kiev born Director, Anatole Litvak has given us several thought provoking classics in his impressive career, notably: The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse '38 ~ All That Heaven Allows '40 ~ and a favorite of mine, Act Of Love with Kirk Douglas in '53. He wins again with "The Snake Pit"Also working hard to involve us was Multi Award Winning Art Director: Lyle R. Wheeler, famous for:- Le Miserables '53 ~ The King and I '56, and Where The Side Walk Ends '50. The Oscar nomination for the screen play of 'The Snake Pit', was shared with Hungarian Frank Partos (The Uninvited '44 ~ Stranger on the Third Floor '40). Alfred Newman's music score was up to his usually high dramatic standard.The Fox Hollywood Gold series DVD release I bought, has good sharp images and sound. It makes for a recommended addition to any library, especially for those who understand how to 'read' the quality aspects of 40s classics.

This film runs like a long infomercial for Freudian psychoanalysis. Olivia de Havilland looks wonderful, and innocent, even in her times of psychotic stress. Nowadays, and I suppose back then as well, films with an actress suffering, and being brave enough to not look her best, is serious Oscar bait. It seemed to have snagged Ms. de Havilland a nomination but not a win. Over the whole film, the plot is facile, with the utterly predictable story arc. Sometimes the other inmates are portrayed realistically, and at others, their spirit of cooperation should get them their release. Mental hospitals were, and are, depressing places, probably necessarily so, but these days, with the refusal to commit extremely sick individuals, policy does not serve well the sick people or society at large. I'm not sure there exists a good solution.

This was a disturbing movie to watch even though it seemed to have a happy ending. At the time I first saw the movie in the 1960's, I had a friend who was in a mental ward briefly and the scenes were frightening realistic with the characters portrayal and the prevalence of shock therapy While it is true the ending was over the top with the "Going Home' sequence, the message of hope was uplifting and was counter to the stark hard to watch struggles of daily life in the hospital. How anyone got better at all was a miracle. At least they tried to make sure the discharged patient had someplace to go unlike 'Swing Blade' where Billy Bob Thornton was just sent on his way even though he was potentially violent.