Spellbound (1945) Critic Reviews

At its most unsettling level, Spellbound asks us to consider what words are for and what childhood should be. It's as profound as anything you'll see this year, and, yes, it should have won the Oscar. Read the full review

As we watch them drilling with flashcards and worksheets, we hope they will win, but we're not sure what good it will do them. Read the full review

Thrilling little epic set in the bewildering arena of the English language.Read the full review

At a time when so many in this country are at odds about what represents America at its best, it's refreshing and then some to see a film that everyone can agree is an example of exactly that. Read the full review

Despite rave reviews, film festival awards, and an Oscar nomination, Spellbound comes across as little more than a marginally compelling documentary -– the kind of movie that would be at home on PBS.Read the full review

By the time they're onstage, your pulse is pounding right along with theirs. Spell this movie: g-r-e-a-t. Read the full review

Resembles a Christopher Guest movie in that it follows obsessed, socially awkward folks on a seminal journey in their lives. Read the full review

The movie becomes a nail-biter, the audience hanging on every letter. Who could have anticipated that a spelling competition would yield such a heartbreaking thriller? Read the full review

Enough drama, humor and unfiltered nail-biting suspense to put all the thrill-mongering screenwriters in Hollywood to shame. Read the full review