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The Snake Pit
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The Snake Pit (1948) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   1,654 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Frank Partos (screenplay) and
Millen Brand (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Snake Pit on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 November 1948 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Married and in Love . . . with a Man She Didn't Know or Want!
Plot:
Virginia Cunningham finds herself in a state insane asylum...and can't remember how she got there. In flashback... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Turner Classic Movies Has 360 Reasons To Tune In
 (From iCelebz. 7 December 2009, 9:18 PM, PST)

Actress Betsy Blair Dies
 (From WENN. 19 March 2009, 9:10 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
An unusual movie for the times of 1948. more (44 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Olivia de Havilland ... Virginia Stuart Cunningham
Mark Stevens ... Robert Cunningham
Leo Genn ... Doctor Mark Kik

Celeste Holm ... Grace
Glenn Langan ... Doctor Terry
Helen Craig ... Nurse Davis
Leif Erickson ... Gordon
Beulah Bondi ... Mrs. Greer
Lee Patrick ... Asylum Inmate
Howard Freeman ... Dr. Curtis
Natalie Schafer ... Mrs. Stuart
Ruth Donnelly ... Ruth
Katherine Locke ... Margaret
Frank Conroy ... Dr. Jonathan Gifford
Minna Gombell ... Miss Hart
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victoria Albright ... Virginia (age 2) (uncredited)
Jean Andren ... Nurse (uncredited)
Sylvia Andrew ... Patient (uncredited)
Phil Arnold ... Bald Man (uncredited)
Polly Bailey ... Patient (uncredited)

Bobby Barber ... Lola's Husband (uncredited)
George Beranger ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Betsy Blair ... Hester (uncredited)
Marie Blake ... Patient awaiting staff (uncredited)
Lela Bliss ... Miss Greene (uncredited)
Margaret Brayton ... Staff Room Nurse (uncredited)
Virginia Brissac ... Miss Seiffert (uncredited)
Bobby Burns ... Inmate at Dance Social (uncredited)
Cliff Clark ... Shooting Gallery Proprietor (uncredited)
Angela Clarke ... Greek Patient (uncredited)
Jan Clayton ... Singing Inmate (uncredited)
Ruth Clifford ... Nurse (uncredited)
G. Pat Collins ... Attendant (uncredited)
Harold Cornsweet ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Ashley Cowan ... Tommy (uncredited)
Irene Dehn ... Nurse (uncredited)
Janna DeLoos ... Stenographer Nurse (uncredited)
Jacqueline deWit ... Celia Sommerville (uncredited)
Forrest Dickson ... Counterwoman (uncredited)
Ann Doran ... Valerie (uncredited)
Bill Duray ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Marjorie Eaton ... Patient (uncredited)
Mary Emery ... Patient (uncredited)
Ben Erway ... Doctor (uncredited)
Mabel Forrest ... Patient (uncredited)
Joel Friedkin ... Doctor (uncredited)
Geraldine Garrick ... Patient (uncredited)
Nina Gilbert ... Patient (uncredited)
Donna Hamilton ... Patient (uncredited)

Alvin Hammer ... Patient (uncredited)
Grayce Hampton ... Inmate Countess (uncredited)
Edna Holland ... Elderly Nurse (uncredited)
Victoria Horne ... Ward 33 Inmate (uncredited)
Bee Humphries ... Emma (uncredited)
Isabel Jewell ... Ward 33 Inmate (uncredited)
Larry Johns ... Minister (uncredited)
Tiny Jones ... Inmate (uncredited)
Geraldine Jordan ... Patient (uncredited)
Leo Kaye ... Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
Doris Kemper ... Patient (uncredited)
Kate Drain Lawson ... Cafe Cashier (uncredited)
Babe London ... Attendant (uncredited)
Louise Lorimer ... Nurse (uncredited)
Celia Lovsky ... Inmate Gertrude (uncredited)
Ellen Lowe ... Patient (uncredited)
George Lynn ... Doctor (uncredited)
Therese Lyon ... Patient (uncredited)
Patricia Marlowe ... Practical Nurse (uncredited)
Marion Marshall ... Young girl (uncredited)

Mae Marsh ... Tommy's mother (uncredited)
Mira McKinney ... Patient (uncredited)
Doro Merande ... Inmate, First Lady of the Land (uncredited)
Lora Lee Michel ... Virginia (age 6) (uncredited)
Jerry Miley ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Belle Mitchell ... Inmate (uncredited)
Eula Morgan ... Attendant (uncredited)
Harry Hays Morgan ... Doctor (uncredited)
Frances Morris ... Patient (uncredited)
Dorothy Neumann ... Champion, Miss Neumann (uncredited)
Mary Newton ... Patient (uncredited)
Damian O'Flynn ... Mr. Stuart (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal ... Miss Primm, Hospital Dining Room Waitress (uncredited)
Inez Palange ... Italian Patient (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper ... Patient (uncredited)
Wanda Perry ... Nurse (uncredited)
Rose Plumer ... Inmate (uncredited)
Grace Poggi ... Asylum Inmate (uncredited)
Louise Robinson ... Husky Nurse (uncredited)
Carol Savage ... Maxine (uncredited)
Syd Saylor ... Inmate wearing visor at dance (uncredited)
Helen Servis ... Inmate Miss Servis (uncredited)
Lester Sharpe ... Dr. Sommer (uncredited)
Tamara Shayne ... Ward 33 Inmate (uncredited)
Sally Shepherd ... Nurse (uncredited)
Queenie Smith ... Lola (uncredited)
Esther Somers ... Nurse Vance (uncredited)
Ann Staunton ... Nurse (uncredited)
June Storey ... Miss Bixby (uncredited)
Mary Tarcai ... Nurse Jenkins (uncredited)
Ray Teal ... Doctor (uncredited)
Laura Treadwell ... Mother (uncredited)
Mary Treen ... Nurse Jones (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal ... Ward 33 Inmate (uncredited)
Dorothy Vaughan ... Bossy Ward 12 Inmate (uncredited)
Basil Walker ... Bit Role (uncredited)
Ruth Warren ... Patient (uncredited)
Claire Whitney ... Inmate (uncredited)
Robert Williams ... Orderly, Dance Social Emcee (uncredited)
Isabel Withers ... Nurse Johnson (uncredited)
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Directed by
Anatole Litvak 
 
Writing credits
Frank Partos (screenplay) and
Millen Brand (screenplay)

Mary Jane Ward (novel)

Arthur Laurents  uncredited

Produced by
Robert Bassler .... producer
Anatole Litvak .... producer
Darryl F. Zanuck .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Alfred Newman 
 
Cinematography by
Leo Tover (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Dorothy Spencer 
 
Art Direction by
Lyle R. Wheeler  (as Lyle Wheeler)
Joseph C. Wright 
 
Set Decoration by
Ernest Lansing 
Thomas Little 
 
Costume Design by
Bonnie Cashin 
 
Makeup Department
Ben Nye .... makeup artist
Esperanza Corona .... hair stylist (uncredited)
Ernie Parks .... makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Ben Silvey .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Silver .... assistant director (uncredited)
Henry Weinberger .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Harry M. Leonard .... sound
Arthur von Kirbach .... sound (as Arthur L. Kirbach)
 
Special Effects by
Fred Sersen .... special photographic effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Henry Gerzen .... grip (uncredited)
Roger Shearman .... camera operator (uncredited)
Anthony Ugrin .... still photographer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire .... wardrobe director
Sam Benson .... wardrobe (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Edward B. Powell .... orchestral arranger (as Edward Powell)
Alfred Newman .... musical director (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Jerry Bryan .... script supervisor (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
108 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Much of the film was shot in actual wards at Camarillo State Mental Hospital in California. more
Quotes:
Mrs. Greer: Good afternoon, my dear. I don't think I've had the pleasure of seeing you here before.
Virginia Stuart Cunningham: I'm Virginia Cunningham. I came from Five.
Mrs. Greer: Nobody comes to One from Five. Even I had to spend a few days in Two before coming here. And I, my dear, have money.
Virginia Stuart Cunningham: That must be convenient.
Mrs. Greer: My husband, Mr. Greer, is very wealthy. I have more jewels than I can possibly wear. You, of course, are a charity patient?
Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Oh, no. It so happens that my husband, Mr. Cunningham, is very wealthy. My diamonds simply weigh me down.
Mrs. Greer: I have the Hope Diamond!
Virginia Stuart Cunningham: I have the Hopeless Emerald! It carries the Cunningham curse. You've probably read about it.
Mrs. Greer: Mr. Greer...
Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Your husband?
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Sweet Georgia Brown more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
27 out of 28 people found the following comment useful.
An unusual movie for the times of 1948., 19 March 2001
10/10
Author: Hal Westcott from Washington State, USA

"The Snake Pit" is based on a true story written by Mary Jane Ward in the hopes it would bring to the attention of the people, the horrors that a person faced in a mental institution at the time, pre-1948. The character, Virginia, was based on Miss Ward's own experience in a mental hospital. Even though the film was nominated for various Oscars, it only won for the musical score. I think that was probably because at the time mental illness was considered taboo. Olivia deHavilland acted the character of Virginia brilliantly as did everyone else in the film and Betsy Blair in her portrayal of Hester looked like she was completely and totally beyond help. Just look at her eyes. You will see what I mean. To this very day, I think it is the most haunting and most accurate of all films that have been released on the treatment of emotional disorders. I think all characters were portrayed as Mary Jane Ward wanted them to be portrayed, as I studied her book and watched the film while in high school in the early 1960's. Great book and a great film not afraid to show the abuse by certain medical personnel.

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Message Boards

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Dr. Kik.... jackwhitekicksass
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Name of the classic piece that was played grasshopper54
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