Possessed

"Him??" Truly do not understand what Joan Crawford sees in this dud. It is nice to see a noir that has a woman protagonist, especially when that protagonist is played by Joan Crawford.

A captivating - albeit somewhat melodramatic - character study wherein Joan Crawford drifts in and out of insanity. I defy anybody not to feel sorry for her character. And Bernhardt also does a fine job in terms of letting the audience share some of her delusions.

Tour de Force performance from Crawford in this psychological film noir. Also stars Van Heflin who always keeps my attention.

A damn good film noir, and one that stands out from the pack thematically. Telling the story from the viewpoint of a mentally unstable, neurotic character lends the movie loads of paranoia and tension. Joan Crawford's turn as the disturbed nurse is truly an amazing performance. I also liked Van Heflin, who has lots of clever dialogue. The cinematography and editing are very creative, with great use of flashback and fantasy to blur the lines of reality.

a great portrayal of an insane woman, along with some great unfolding of how things came to be. the only downside is that it can get to be a bit slow.

Though i'm not a huge Joan Crawford fan, this was another role just right for her. Good melodrama.

Joan Crawford was better at picking interesting roles in the latter stages of her career than in her prime. Here she is a nurse with some clear mental problems, far from the glamour we're used to seeing her, and we get the lady's story through her therapy. A very intriguing approach. Had me absorbed and wondering how her situation would unfold. I won't say it ended-up becoming the most thrilling of stories, but there was a lot to make me respect this attempt on a high level.

A surprisingly nuanced depiction of mental disorder from its era. The overall feeling I get from this is mixed, but there's something rare to enjoy as well.

Watching Joan Crawford's portrayal of madness as Louise Howell is every bit as captivating as watching Faye Dunaway's portrayal of madness as Joan Crawford.

Crawford is amazing here. The movies okay.

Joan Crawford shines in this depiction of mental illness and obsession, never falling into histrionics and always keeping things believably grounded. Cinema has never been overly sensitive (or indeed accurate) in depicting mental illness, especially in noir-inflected melodrama like this, but all things considered this is a pretty good portrayal, getting the feel right if not the psychological details. I feel like I'm missing something with Van Heflin but his aloofness makes sense here.

Nice photography and Crawford is good. Rest is blah.

A tad overblown, and noirs about insanity tend to be a little ridiculous, but mostly it was a very interesting story. The suspense is strong, and even with the flashback structure leaves room for quite a few surprises. Crawford seems to do well roles that require being paranoid and hysterical and this is no exception. Van Heflin doesn't quite fit his role, but everyone else does well. Not the best noir, but pretty solid.

"Possessed does have a few very good insights into the self-abasing aggressiveness of unrequited love." - Dan Callahan

Crawford is riveting as a woman driven mad by romantic obsession. The opening of the film is incredible, beautifully photographed in a stark, expressionistic style. When the movie delves into her insanity, it's at its finest, some very memorable sequences. Unfortunately, a lot of the connecting tissue is a bit ho-hum. I also didn't like the ending, with the Freudian analysis. Worth seeing, especially for Crawford's performance, but it could use some tightening up in spots.

This movie is soooo '40s, a cross between a woman's film and film noir, indulging in the fad for psychiatry. Joan Crawford always acted a little insane even when she wasn't playing a crazy woman, so this was a good match for her.