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228 Movies and Mental Illness Alone in the Dark (1982) Suspense Ψ A psychiatrist’s family is besieged by a psychotic patient during a citywide blackout. Amadeus (1984) Biography/Musical ΨΨΨ The film opens with the court composer Salieri, now old, mad, and suicidal, wondering if he murdered Mozart. Salieri is obsessed with the genius of Mozart and can never forgive his rival for his talent or himself for his mediocrity. Angel at My Table, An (1990) Biography /Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ Jean Campion’s biography of New Zealand novelist Janet Frame, who was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia and mistreated with electroconvulsive therapy. Angel Baby, An (1995) Drama ΨΨΨ Australian film about two mentally ill people who meet in an outpatient clinic, fall in love, and try to face life together. Unfortunately, their lives fall apart as a consequence of an ill-fated decision to mutually discontinue their medication. Angel in Red (1991) Suspense Ψ A psychotic pimp goes gunning for his former employee after she turns to a rival pimp for protection. Benny & Joon (1993) Comedy ΨΨΨ A generally sympathetic portrayal of schizophrenia, with a vivid example of decompensation on a city bus; the film trivializes the problem of schizophrenia by suggesting love alone is enough to conquer the problem. Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) Drama ΨΨΨΨΨ This film, a 15-hour Fassbinder masterpiece, traces the gradual moral and mental disintegration of a man who leaves prison resolved to live a good life. The film explores exploitation of women, violence, homosexuality, and mental illness. Betrayed (1988) Political/Thriller Ψ Debra Winger plays an undercover agent who falls in love with a seemingly simple farmer, actually a right-wing, paranoid fanatic. Betty Blue (1986) Drama ΨΨΨ Artistic, erotic French film about two young lovers and their passions that lead from poverty to violence and destruction. One particularly shocking scene depicts self-mutilation resulting from psychosis. Bill of Divorcement, A (1932) Comedy ΨΨ A mentally ill man is discharged from a psychiatric hospital and returns home to his wife and daughter. Katharine Hepburn’s debut as a film actress. Birdy (1984) Drama/War ΨΨΨΨ Nicolas Cage tries to help his friend, Matthew Modine, who is a catatonic inpatient in a military hospital. Both men are Vietnam veterans, but Modine’s problems seem to predate the war. Boxing Helena (1994) Drama ΨΨ Eminent surgeon is rebuffed by a beautiful woman. His obsessions of her turn delusional as he captures her and eventually amputates her arms and legs while paradoxically fawning over her. Interesting dynamic of his forcing the woman to be physically dependent upon him emerging from his psychological dependence on her. Directorial debut of Jennifer Chambers Lynch, daughter of distinguished filmmaker, David Lynch. “I am still haunted by my love for her… those dreams.” Eerie quote by character Nick Cavanaugh in Boxing Helena, leaving the viewer to ponder how much of the film is delusion, reality, or a dream Camille Claudel (1988) Biography ΨΨΨ Biographical film of the mistress of Rodin, who spent the last 30 years of her life in an asylum. David and Lisa (1963) Drama ΨΨΨ Story of two institutionalized teenagers who become romantically involved. Based on a story by psychiatrist Theodore Isaac Rubin. Dead of Night (1945) Horror ΨΨΨΨ Five short episodes loosely linked together. The last of these, “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy,” stars Michael Redgrave, who has to be hospitalized after he becomes convinced that he and his dummy are exchanging personalities (and, in fact, they are). Delusions of Grandeur (1973) Comedy Ψ In seventeenth-century Spain, a wily servant saves his king from the intrigues of a tax collector. From: Wedding, D., Boyd, M.A., & Niemiec, R.M. Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology © 2005 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers (www.hogrefe.com)
Appendix G: Films Illustrating Psychopathology 229 Don Juan Demarco (1995) Drama ΨΨΨ Marlon Brando plays a compassionate psychiatrist to Johnny Depp who plays a delusional man who thinks he is the legendary Don Juan. “I am the world’s greatest lover!” Don Juan Demarco Donnie Darko (2001) Drama ΨΨΨ Although this film is about a delusional college student who frequently hallucinates a “demon bunny” instructing him that the end of the world is near, the film is fairly complex with important comments on fear, the pain of mental illness, and the nature of reality. Don’t Say A Word (2001) Suspense/Mystery ΨΨ Michael Douglas plays a psychiatrist whose daughter is kidnapped for the ransom of a 6-digit code locked in the brain of a very disturbed psychiatric patient (Brittany Murphy). Dressed to Kill (1980) Thriller Ψ Popular film in which Michael Caine plays Angie Dickinson’s psychiatrist. The film confuses transsexuality and schizophrenia, but it is exciting, if not always accurate. Entertainer, The (1960) Drama Ψ This film, starring Laurence Olivier and Albert Finney, portrays Olivier as a third-rate vaudevillian whose delusions of grandeur alienate people around him. Fan, The (1982) Horror Ψ A Broadway star played by Lauren Bacall is terrorized by an embittered fan. Fan, The (1996) Drama Ψ Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes are wasted in this tired film about a baseball fan who is obsessed with a Giants center fielder. Final (2001) Drama ΨΨΨ Well-acted performance by Denis Leary who plays “Bill” in this Campbell Scott film. Bill awakens from a coma in an isolated, bright room of a psychiatric hospital. He has frequent paranoid delusions, anger outbursts, and hallucinations as his therapist helps him remember flashbacks of his car accident and his father’s death. Interesting portrayal of the “doctor-patient” relationship, presenting many questions about boundaries, ethics, and relational dynamics. Fisher King, The (1991) Drama/Fantasy/ Comedy ΨΨΨ Terry Gilliam film in which Robin Williams plays a homeless, mentally ill man who is befriended by a disillusioned former disc jockey. The movie is funny but confusing, and it misleads the public with its suggestion of a traumatic etiology for schizophrenia. Frailty (2001) Drama/Suspense ΨΨΨ Bill Paxton plays a serial killing, religious zealot with a delusional disorder who believes he’s on a mission from God to fight off demons (his human victims). “Now you stay down here until you see the truth. Pray to god, Fenton. Pray for a vision. Only he can help you now!” Bill Paxton’s character in Frailty Gothika (2004) Suspense ΨΨ Halle Berry plays Dr. Miranda Grey who works to unravel the mystery of her patient’s (Penelope Cruz) psychopathology and is confronted by disturbing secrets and the supernatural. Goya in Bordeaux (1999) Drama /Biography ΨΨΨ Spanish film, depicting the famous painter, Francisco de Goya on his deathbed, who recalls major events of his life, hallucinates, and experiences severe migraines. Addresses themes of psychosis and creativity, integrity vs. despair, and the interrelationship of life and death. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2002) Drama ΨΨΨΨ A must-see film for depiction of delusional disorders that is so unique that it could only be done cinematically. First, the viewer sees reality from the young woman’s perception and flashes back to the beginning giving the viewer the vantage point of the man she loves. This French film stars Amelie’s Audrey Tautou. From: Wedding, D., Boyd, M.A., & Niemiec, R.M. Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology © 2005 Hogrefe & Huber Publishers (www.hogrefe.com)
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