Experiment Perilous

Based on the eponymous novel by Margaret Carpenter and bearing stark similarities to George Cukor’s Gaslight, Experiment Perilous is a noir drama with strong Gothic overtones. Set at the turn century, it revolves around a young woman, Allida, held captive in the family home by her despotic husband. The plot takes an unexpected twist when the psychiatrist Dr. Bailey takes it upon himself to free Allida from her prison. Experiment Perilous might remind arthouse fans of Rebecca, but whereas Hitchcock underlines every chilly twist in his plot, Tourneur opts for a more nuanced approach, focusing on his otherwordly atmosphere and the unity of space and time.

USA , B & W , 91’