Spellbound Ingrid Bergman (1945) - Her Beautiful 1940s Fashion
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Spellbound Ingrid Bergman is a suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock whodunnit where a beautiful psychiatrist must to unlock the secrets from inside the head of a handsome amnesia patient to solve a murder.
The psychiatrist turned detective is Ingrid Bergman.
As a doctor at a fancy mental asylum, Ingrid Bergman’s character in Spellbound provides plenty of inspiration of women’s work outfits in the 1940s ranging from business casual to doctor’s uniforms.
Spellbound (1945) is the only Ingrid Bergman Hitchcock movie where Ingrid Bergman smokes—even in front of her patients!
Of course this is most fashionably done using a silver cigarette holder.
Since Ingrid Bergman is a professional working woman, you’ll notice that her 1940’s fashion centers around a variety of stunning business outfits.
However, she also has some lovely nightgowns, hats, skirt suits, and furs for you to enjoy!
This post is all about Spellbound Ingrid Bergman and her stunning 1940’s fashion.
Spellbound (1945) Plot Summary
Ingrid Bergman plays the sophisticated psychiatrist Dr Constance Peterson, the only female doctor at a Vermont asylum, Green Manors.
Dr Murchison (Leo G. Carroll), the hospital’s director, is about to retire.
A man claiming to be his replacement, the esteemed Dr Anthony Edwardes (Gregory Peck) arrives at the hospital, but Constance quickly discovers he is not who he claims to be.
He is suffering from amnesia and doesn’t know who he really is…the real doctor is mysteriously missing.
Dr. Constance is determined to use psychoanalysis to unlock the secrets in his mind.
Who is he?
Why was he impersonating the esteemed physiatrist doctor?
Was he somehow involved in his disappearance?
The two of them fall head over heels in love with each other.
Gregory Peck’s character John Ballantyne experiences mood swings that take him from thoughtful lover to frustrated patient, as Ingrid Bergman’s character, Dr. Peterson, asks him questions to discover the secrets locked in his mind.
This might be the only 1940s movie where the guy faints more than the girl…!
John Ballantyne (Gregory Peck) faints a number of time and Constance (Ingrid Bergman) to catch him in her arms.
There are also some great psychiatrist jokes, from Dr. Alexander Brulov (Michael Chekhov) who secretly helps with the case.
“Women make the best psychoanalysts until they fall in love. After that they make the best patients.”
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman - 1940’s Outfit #1 - Work Attire with Lab Coat
The Spellbound movie opens at the Vermont mental hospital.
Dr. Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman), is calmly going through her day’s appointments with her various mental patients, unfazed when they begin hurling things at her or try to get their hands on her razor sharp letter opener.
She’s smoking when her patient is first escorted into the room.
Her vintage cigarette holder appears to be just as important as her notebook.
In the 1940s, cigarette holders were an essential part of ladies’ fashion.
They were not only stylish, but practical, as they kept ash from falling on their outfits.
The outfit Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Constance Petersen is wearing is a dark a-line skirt, seamed hoes, and low-heeled pumps. She also has geeky-chic glasses.
Her hair is a simple 1940’s style updo, with the front waves pinned up and the back hair wrapped in a simple knot.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #2 - Daily Professional Outfit
After her appointments, she joins the other doctors in discussing the forced retirement of the hospital director and anticipating what his replacement will be like.
The outfit Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Constance Petersen is wearing is a loosely fitted button-up shirt with shoulder pads, accessorized with a gold broach.
This is paired with a skirt and pumps.
The doctors are enjoying lunch together when the young and handsome Gregory Peck walks into the cafeteria.
There is immediate romantic tension between him and Ingrid Bergman’s character.
Everyone believes he is Dr Anthony Edwardes, whom he is impersonating, but he is really John Ballantyne.
However he has a sudden and dramatic reaction to a simple sketch Ingrid Bergman’s character draws on the table with white and black lines.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen studies him, wondering what is going on in that handsome head.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #3 - Casual Hiking Outfit
Gregory Peck’s character John Ballantyne asks Dr. Petersen to join him for a walk on the scenic hospital grounds.
They chat about a poet’s view of love vs a psychiatrist’s.
For the afternoon stroll, the outfit Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Constance Petersen is wearing is a fitted coat, large scarf, a long skirt, and low practical shoes.
“Oh, isn’t this beautiful” she remarks, looking at the scenery….
“Perfect!” he replies, looking at her.
Fun fact:
While filming Spellbound, the young Gregory Peck fell for Ingrid Bergman like a ton of bricks! This came out years later during a People interview with Gregory Peck.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #4 - Nightgown & Robe
Dr. Petersen is tossing and turning in bed, thinking about John.
She finally can’t stand it any longer. She rolls out of bed, pulls on her robe, and clips back her hair.
The nightgown Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Constance Petersen is wearing is a lovely white nightgown and her fitted robe is floor length with a subtle vertical striped pattern.
Her hair is falling in perfect retro waves, even in the middle of the night…(no pin curls in sight here!)
Her room is onsite at the hospital.
She walks to the library for a book and sees the light on in John’s room, so she taps on his door.
The next moment they are in each other's arms….
John Ballantyne: “I know why you came in…. Because something has happened to us…. It happens in a moment sometimes... I felt it this afternoon... It's like lightning striking... It strikes rarely.”
They kiss and then he suddenly becomes agitated and pulls back from her, staring at the white and black lines in her robe.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #5 - White Scrubs
They both rush to the surgery suite, since one of the mental patients tried to kill himself.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is dressed head to toe in a white uniform.
It’s interesting how fitted and feminine the 1940s doctors uniforms are!
Gregory Peck’s character starts freaking out in the surgery suite and then dramatically passes out.
All of the doctors, including Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen, are starting to wonder at his strange behavior.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #6 - Lab Coat Buttoned Up
Dr. Petersen realizes that Gregory Peck’s character is not Dr Anthony Edwardes, since the signature in his note to her doesn’t match that in the autographed book!
As soon as he wakes up, she confronts him and asks who he is.
He is thoroughly confused… saying that he believes that Dr. Edwardes is dead, and that he did it!
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing her lab coat fully buttoned, as if a coat.
Gregory Peck doesn’t know what his name is, but believes his initials may be J.B., since these are on a silver cigarette lighter he has.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #7 - Business Casual With Bow Tie Variation 1
Gregory Peck’s character, John Ballantyne, escapes from the hospital that evening, right before the police arrive searching for him, as they believe he murdered the real Dr. Edwardes.
John Ballantyne leaves a note for Dr. Petersen telling her where he has gone and that he loves her.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing a white button-up blouse with a ribbon, and she has a white cardigan draped over her shoulders.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit #8 - Travel Outfit
Convinced of John’s innocence, Dr. Petersen sneaks out to find him.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing a button-up shirt and tie, with a fitted blazer and skirt. This is paired with a smart hat and black gloves.
Her trench coat is casually draped over her arm.
She is wearing stylish and practical low shoes.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 9 - Business Casual With Bow Tie Variation 2
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen finds John Ballantyne and they passionately embrace.
She asks him to try to remember the strange events leading up to his amnesia.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing a lovely white button-up blouse with a contrasting tie-bow at the neck and tailored skirt with a noticed waist.
It’s a perfect 1940’s outfit to talk to your lover on a make-shift psychiatrist's sofa at a hotel.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 10 - Travel Coat
They narrowly escape from the hotel to the train station, since the bellboy recognizes her picture in the newspaper.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is a wearing a fitted travel coat over her favorite travel outfit with the tie and black hat.
At the ticket counter, John Ballantyne has a sudden memory and then faints again.
They travel to her old teacher’s house to hide out, Dr. Alexander Brulov (played by Michael Chekhov).
She talks her old professor into helping her treat him for a few days, before turning him into the police.
John Ballantyne recounts a strange dream.
From his dream they are able to piece together that the scene of the real crime took place at a ski resort!
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 11 - Business Casual With Bow Tie Variation 3
Dr. Petersen and John Ballantyne travel by train to the mountaintop ski resort, hoping to jog his memory of the events on that fateful day.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing a lovely white button-up blouse with a white bow, fitted blazer and skirt.
Now that she is happy and has a life outside of work, she tells him how her fashion is going to change.
“I always loved very feminine clothes, but never quite got to wear them...I’m going to after this. I’m going to wear exactly the things that please me… and you!
…even very funny hats… you know the kind that make you look a little bit drunk?...”
Hitchcock used clothes to help set the mood and tell the story. She is no longer the bookish and detached Dr. Peterson, but one ready for the exciting adventures of life and romance!
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 12 - Skiing Outfit
They set out on the ski slopes, hoping to jog John Ballantyne’s memory!
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing a fitted blazer, warm wool scarf, loose pants, and short boots.
Her 1940s skiing outfit looks like it could have gone from the supermarket to the slopes--it’s very feminine and fitted.
Of course her hair is falling in perfect retro curls as they glide down the slopes to suspenseful music and she watches him closely as he starts to go into a trance-like state.
The skiing scene is actually very entertaining. It looks so fake that it falls into the “it’s so bad it’s good” category.
As they near the cliff drop off, the suspense builds, and snow billows towards them.
Suddenly John Ballantyne remembers the fear that had kept him locked in amnesia.
As a young boy, he had accidentally killed his brother!
Fun fact:
The billowing snow hitting them was actually cornflakes.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 13 - Ski Resort Lounging Outfit
Dr. Petersen and John Ballantyne are cozying up back at the picturesque ski lodge.
John Ballantyne is recounting everything he can remember, although a few details are still fuzzy.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing loose slacks, a fitted sweater, and simple boots.
John tells her how much he adores her and that he wants to marry her:
“You’ll look wonderful… in white… with a little orange blossom in your hair…”
They are interrupted dramatically by the police coming into the room announcing that Dr. Edwardes went over the cliff with a bullet in his back.
They arrest John Ballantyne.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 14 - Court Appearance Outfits
Dr. Petersen knows John is innocent and makes multiple court appearances, fighting for him.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen wears a variety of formal tops, paired either with fitted blazers or fur, and sometimes accentuated with a sharp hat.
John Ballantyne is imprisoned.
Dr. Petersen returns to Green Acres despondent still determined to prove his innocence.
The current hospital director, Dr. Murchison (Leo G. Carroll) mentions he knew the missing Dr. Anthony Edwardes only slightly, but disliked him.
This slip-up triggers alarm bells for Dr. Petersen.
She confronts him saying she believes he killed Dr. Edwardes, as he didn’t want to be replaced as the hospital’s director.
Dr. Murchison pulls a gun on her, but she persuades him not to kill her…She tells him this time he would be killing her in cold blood, whereas the first murder he was not mentally responsible for.
In suspenseful Hitchcock-style, she slowly inches to the door step by step…
He turns the gun on himself.
Spellbound Ingrid Bergman: 1940’s Outfit # 15 - Honeymoon Outfit
In the final scene, Dr. Petersen and John Ballantyne are leaving for their honeymoon by train.
Ingrid Bergman’s character Dr. Petersen is wearing a beautiful fitted black skirt suit, with a white lace top.
She has a flower corsage pinned to her bodice and delightful veil hat with pearls.
It looks like she’s holding true to her plan to start wearing more feminine outfits, just like she said she would!
This post was all about Ingrid Bergman’s 1940’s Fashion in Spellbound and her 15 beautiful 1940s outfits.
What are your thoughts on Ingrid Bergman’s style in Spellbound?
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