Ingrid and Lana


Not sure if this is widely known so my apologies if this has previously been covered. Just watched an interview with Ingrid Bergman (YouTube, CBC Retrobites) where she said that originally she was to play the role that Lana had but she asked the director to switch so she could play the "bad girl" and Lana could play the "sweet part for a change". The director wasn't sure so he tested her and the rest is history. She said that she was in danger of being typed-cast as a "good girl" and wanted a meatier part. There are three parts to the interview.

reply

Tracy was so lucky to work with TWO incredible actresses here.

Bergman got the more meaty role, but Turner was perfect. She was SOOOO hot.

reply

According to Michael Sragrow's VICTOR FLEMING: AN AMERICAN MOVIE MASTER, official MGM papers note that Ingrid had been cast as Ivy from day one, with Laraine Day as Beatrix.

reply

The meatier role went to Ingrid, cause she could act. Lana was attractive, but not known for her acting. I tried to place Lana in Ingrid's role, and could not see how she could have managed it...Obviously, the studio knew that too.

reply

he meatier role went to Ingrid, cause she could act. Lana was attractive, but not known for her acting.

Lana was smokin' hot as usual, but Ingrid takes a back seat to no one.

reply

Lana could never have handled the complexity of the role the way Ingrid could--and did! I've seen very few characters with such emotional complexity in the Hollywood films of that era. The only one I could compare Ingrid's Ivy to is the portrayal of Ziegfeld's first wife by Luise Rainer in THE GREAT ZIEGFELD, for which she won an Oscar. I'm astounded that Ingrid wasn't even nominated for DR. JEKYLL.

reply

Lana is fine and she looks very beautiful throughout while giving a nice, standard 1941 performance. Ms. Bergman is timeless. I haven't watched this one in a long time, but Ms. Bergman performances are so often unforgettable. I recall being dubious the first time watching it, wondering if she could pull off the role and the accent. Those fears were solidly put to rest by the time she's singing along in the bar.

She delivers splendidly on three harrowing scenes. The first apartment scene as she's terrorized and forced to sing for Hyde, her appeal for help from Jekyll, and the final apartment scene where she's so hopeful, then miserable, terrorized, and killed. In each scene she plays upon your emotions like the strings of a violin. It's painful and distressing to watch because she knows how to make it that way. It's utterly heartbreaking to watch her final scene with Ivy believing she's finally out from under Hyde's thumb, only to be confronted by him once more. The misery she's able to express is incredible and chilling, then she runs desperately from him, only to be killed on the floor as he taunts her with the details of a life she'll never have. Ms. Bergman sells every moment.

___
I used to think I knew everything about the world. Now I just know that it's round.

reply