Black Narcissus (1947) Ravishing photography and design create a sultry, intoxicating atmosphere, as a group of nuns become unhinged in remote Himalayan mountains. Rich and sensual, past ghosts and future desires build a feverish intensity, in this glorious dream-like melodrama.
Two Thousand Women (1944) Mostly played for laughs, an intriguing setup allows for a formidable array of British actresses to lift wartime spirits. Narratively awkward, there are persuasive sequences and the characterization of strong, independent women is smart and subversive.
Sommarlek (1951) Ingmar Bergman's quietly absorbing tale of love and loss features a fragile Maj-Britt Nilsson dealing with tragedy after a giddy summer romance. Exquisitely lit and framed, it provides equal thought and emotion and concludes with a satisfying openness.
Gaslight (1940) With an atmosphere as rich and enveloping as the London fog, sinister Anton Walbrook drives fragile Diana Wynyard to the edge of sanity and murder. Lush design, expressive lighting and a terrific Richard Addinsell score ratchet up the tension and mystery.
Sommaren med Monika (1953) Vital, captivating tale of summer romance unable to cope once the dream fades. Earthy, seductive Harriet Andersson stares into our conscious as much as the gleaming visuals reveal the intensity of joy and anger that swirls through love and lust.
A Double Life (1947) Luminously shot, full of noirish secrets and shadows, a literate if sometimes unpersuasive narrative delineates the descent into madness and murder of Ronald Coleman's Broadway actor. Some striking sequences and a distinct feel for backstage theater.
Thoroughbreds (2017) As cool and detached as its damaged protagonists, a strangely inert narrative never really pokes beneath the surface either with thrills or laughs. Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy are suitably intense. The widescreen camera never aids the tension.
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