Best movie of this year hands down!

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

First off, I don't see the great parallels between this film and "The Spiral Staircase" that some see. Yes, both films featured George Brent, and a back spiral staircase pops up in this film. But there the similarities end, other than that this is a psychological thriller.The story takes place just after the turn of the century when a doctor -- George Brent -- meets an overly friendly older lady (Olive Blakeney) on a train. She shares with him that she is going to visit her brother (Paul Lukas) and his young wife (Hedy Lamarr). She persuades him to have her luggage sent to the same hotel as where he will be living. But, shortly thereafter, she dies and he is introduced at a tea to Lucas and Lamarr. Lamarr seems slightly crazy, and her husband is seemingly treating her so. Although Lukas asks Brent to treat his wife, he then becomes jealous of him (and others; old husband, young suitors). The question turns out to be -- who is the really crazy one? Brent decides to free Lamarr, but...well, let's just say there's an explosive ending.There are some nice special effects in this film toward the conclusion, and it's clear this was fairly big budget for RKO.I'm not at all a fan of Hedy Lamarr, though I admit that every once in a while she came across well; she does here. George Brent hasn't the greatest depth of any American actor, but I almost always find him enjoyable on the big screen...and he is here. Paul Lukas was a darned good actor, and plays his part here nicely. A classic? Well, no. But a darned good film that is worth watching...and I have, twice so far. Considering buying a DVD.

So-so melodrama has a decent cast and a great director but somehow never takes off. Part of the problem is it's one of those movies where everybody talks like they're trying to be quotable. Like every line should be delivered like a poem. Also, Tourneur's direction is a bit of a disappointment. I'm a fan of his but this is a rather pedestrian workmanlike effort by him. George Brent and Paul Lukas are fine actors but here both seem miscast, particularly Lukas. Then there's Hedy Lamarr. I've never been a huge Hedy Lamarr fan. Of all the screen goddesses of the golden age she leaves me rather cold. I've enjoyed some of her films but she's not a favorite of mine. I find her acting OK, although it's strained in this picture. She seems stretched beyond her limits and her portrayal makes Allida seem mentally slow.It's a fairly by-the-numbers flick in the Gaslight mold. But Gaslight was better in every respect. Obviously fans of Hedy Lamarr will probably enjoy it more than I did. So take that for what it's worth.

Some of the reviewers here have been unkind for Hedy's performance, and can't for the life me understand why. They are all making comparisons for 2 different performances, with 2 movies that have similar backgrounds...almost anyway. Hedy's was suppose to show fear, anxiety, and meekness in her character...afraid to confront her husband. In this regard, Ingrid's character in "Gaslight" was similar, up to a point. Ingrid, had the one big scene where she shows all her frustration and anger at her husband, in one lusty yell. Hedy had no such scene advantage. Her performance was more somber, which i think she did, to me, and at the time of its release, many of the reviews said the same. By today's standard of performances, she would have been at the least nominated for an Oscar, as in comparison to a Helen Hunt performance in a forgettable movie with Jack Nickelson, in which she won Best Actress.

Hedy Lamarr is a beautiful but troubled woman in "Experiment Perilous," also starring George Brent and Paul Lukas. This film has been compared to "Gaslight" as well as other works by Tourneur, including "Cat People." It certainly has elements of both.Brent is a doctor who meets a lovely woman on a train. She says some strange things to him about the home of her brother, where she is going to stay. Shortly afterward, she dies suddenly. When he later meets her brother and his wife, he falls for the wife at first sight. And what man wouldn't - she's Hedy Lamarr. The doctor is soon drawn into a confused and mysterious situation at the house as the husband, Paul Lukas, confesses concerns about his wife.This is a well done, compelling movie where nothing happens until the end, but there is plenty under the surface to keep the viewer interested and guessing. Underlying suspense and tension pervades throughout as Brent becomes more and more suspicious of activities going on at the house, especially when Lamarr asks for his help.The casting is a little bizarre. George Brent exhibits no emotion throughout and is quite wooden. Lamarr is supposed to be a former farm girl and evidently from the U.S., so one questions the accent. She has no expression in her voice or face throughout, which may have been the decision of the director. Lukas is excellent, an affability and charm belying what's underneath. He is a member of a wealthy New York family, yet he has an accent and his sister didn't. So one wonders what dictated this strange casting and why at least the story wasn't changed to accommodate the actors chosen.There's been some discussion as to whether Lamarr could have done "Gaslight" rather than Bergman. Hedy Lamarr with good direction was a decent actress, but not in my opinion a strong enough one for the role in "Gaslight." She was one of the most beautiful women in film and could be absolutely delightful in the right circumstances. Her contribution to film history is more than satisfactory.