Movies, Drugs and Psychiatry

The Artist

2012-01-28T09:19:00.000-08:00

#theartist

In opening scenes actor George is tortured with a device suggestive of electroconvulsive therapy. (0:00)

George, his hand in the shape of a pistol, pretends to shoot himself in the head. (0:25)

Despondent, George retrieves his revolver from a box, places the barrel in his mouth. Caption: "Bang!" (1:31)

electroconvulsive therapy | suicide

Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo 2011

Beginners

2012-01-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

#beginnersmovie

Artist Oliver pours his deceased father's pills in the toilet. (0:02)

Oliver tells us, referring to his father Hal, "He saw a therapist for the first time." (0:06)

Oliver tells Hal in the hospital, "You're very high on drugs." (0:08)

A fellow partier tells Oliver, "Oh you're being a therapist, Freud."
"Do you need analysis?" (0:14)

Oliver tells his friend Anna, "My father died two months ago." (0:22)

Oliver's mother Georgia tells him, "It's called catharsis." (0:31)

Oliver's caption for a sketch: "First gay man diagnosed as mentally ill." (0:41)

Oliver reads to Anna about Monica Lake, "She struggled with mental illness and alcoholism." (0:45)

Oliver tells Hal, reorganizing books in the middle of the night, "The prednisone makes you crazy." (0:47)

Oliver tells Anna, "My father lay down on a couch like this and told a psychiatrist all his problems in 1955. The doctor told him that homosexuality was a mental illness, but it could be cured." (0:49)

Anna mimics her own father to Oliver, "I can't stop thinking about it... killing myself" (0:56)

Hal recieves last rites before he dies. Oliver grieves. He reviews what you do when a parent dies. (1:32)

Bereavement | catharsis | psychiatrist | Sigmund Freud | suicide

Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent 2010

My Week with Marilyn

2012-01-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

#myweekwithmarilyn

Frustrated actor Sir Laurence tells Paula, "I'd rather kill myself." (0:34)

Producer Milton looks at a pill bottle in his hand: "She'll need something to help her calm down."
Sir Laurence tells third assistant director Colin, "Pills to sleep, pills to wake, pills to calm her down, pills to giver her energy." (0:36)

Marilyn's driver Roger tells Colin, "She's taken some pills and gone to bed. They like to keep her doped up." (0:37)

Pill bottles on a table. (0:40)

Colin asks Paula, "How many pills did she take?" (1:07)

When he sees her pick up a pill bottle Colin tells Marilyn, "Please don't take any more."
Marilyn tells Colin the picture is of her mother "Right before the took her to the asylum." (1:10)

Bottles of Tuinal and Amytal on the table in Marilyn's room. (1:17)

amobarbital | secobarbital | suicide

Michelle Williams, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh 2011

Read the book by Colin Clark:

Monkey on My Back

2012-01-24T19:54:00.000-08:00

#monkeyonmyback

Watch and Twitter Chat:
6:00 PM Pacific Time, Tuesday January 31

Every Tuesday around 6PM PT (so right coasters can join in and still get to bed on time) watch the designated movie and chat with Twitter. While watching I will Tweet notes you can follow along with tweetchat.com or twitterfall.com. If you Tweet your comments, too, I will put it all together for my blog post about the film.

I begin each comment that refers to a specific place in the film with the time displayed (with Roku streaming the time displays when you pause the film.) to the earlier minute. For example, 0:12.

You can watch instantly with your Roku, computer or other device via Netflix, order the DVD, or view on demand from Amazon.

Cameron Mitchell, Dianne Foster, Paul Richards

Monkey on My Back

Vertigo

2012-01-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

#vertigomovie

Detective Scottie watches a patrolman fall to his death trying to rescue him but hangs on and survives. (0:04)

Scottie tells his clothing designer friend Midge, "It's because of this fear of heights I have, this acrophobia."
"I have acrophobia which gives me vertigo, and I get dizzy."
"What about my acrophobia?"
"Bingo. My acrophobia's back." (0:06)

Midge asks Scottie, "That's skid row isn't it?" (0:08)

Scottie asks Midge, "What did you mean there's no losing it?"
"The acrophobia."
"I think if I can get used to heights just a little bit at a time... progressively."
He gradually steps higher on a stool, alternately looking up and down, but when he looks down several stories through the window he collapses in Midge's arms. (0:09)

Scottie tells his old friend Gavin, "I can't... go to high places." (0:12)

Scottie tells Gavin, referring to Gavin's wife's aberrant behavior, "Well I'd say take her to the nearest psychiatrist or psychologist..."
Gavin describes his wife's apparent dissociation: "She's somewhere else... doesn't even hear me." (0:13)

Scottie follows Gavin's wife Madeleine into a church cemetery. (0:23)

Madeleine has checked into a hotel as Carlotta Valdes. (0:30)

Scottie asks bookstore owner Pop Leibel about Carlotta: "She died."
"How?"
Pop: "By her own hand." (0:36)

Scottie tells Gavin, "Anyone could become obsessed with the past with a background like that."
Gavin tells Scottie, "Her grandmother went insane, took her own life." (0:39)

Scottie saves Madeleine from drowning after she throws herself into the bay at the Presidio. (0:42)

Scottie observes to Madeleine, about rescuing her, "You don't remember." (0:46)

Gavin tells Scottie, "Carlotta Valdes committed suicide when she was 26." (0:52)

Madeleine tells Scottie, "If I'm mad, that would explain it..."
"I'm not mad. I'm not mad." (1:04)

Climbing the church tower stairs in pursuit of Madeleine Scottie again experiences fear and vertigo. He sees Madeleine plunge past a window to her death and stumbles down in shock. (1:16)

Coroner at inquest: "It is a pity that knowing her suicidal tendencies he did not make a greater effort the second time... strange behavior after he saw the body fall... He claims he suffered a mental blackout..." (1:20)

Coroner reads the verdict: "The jury finds that Madeleine Elster committed suicide while of unsound mind." (1:22)

Scottie visits Madeleine 's grave. (1:23)

In the psychiatric hospital Midge tells Scottie, "They have music for dipsomaniacs, and music for melancholiacs, and music for hypochondriacs."
Scottie does not respond.
The hospital psychiatrist tells Midge, "He's suffering from acute melancholia." (1:25)

Judy writes a letter to Scottie, referring to Gavin: "He chose you to be the witness to a suicide." (1:40)

acrophobia | Dissociative Amnesia | dissociation | insane | psychiatric hospital | melancholia | response prevention | skid row | suicide

James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes 1958

Read the novel:

Bridesmaids

2012-01-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

#bridesmaidsmovie | Official Site

Her boss Don tells bridesmaid Annie, "The whole reason you got this job is because your mom's my sponsor in AA." (0:10)

Annie's mother Judy tells Annie, "I signed up to speak at AA tonight."
Annie: "You're not supposed to go to those things when you're not an alcoholic."
Judy: "Only because I've never had a drink. They are inspiring."
"This gentleman who started... to get crack. His name is Marvin Johnson."
Annie: "Mom. Anonymous."
Judy: "OK. Forget it. Marvin J. Whatever. Well he became a gay prostitute, and he realized that he hit his bottom... This is your bottom. I'm telling you hitting bottom is a good thing." (0:14)

Annie asks police officer Rhodes, "If I was drunk could I do this?" (0:27)

Rita tells Annie, "You know I can get cocaine..." (0:55)

A jewelry store customer asks Annie, "Did you forget to take your Xanax this morning?" (1:17)

Annie asks Judy, "Remember when you thought I hit bottom? That wasn't bottom." (1:19)

Judy asks car repairman Bill, "Do I know you from AA?" (1:38)

Alcoholics Anonymous | alprazolam | bottom | sponsor

Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Chris O'Dowd 2011

The Descendants

2012-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

#thedescendants | Official Site

Spoiler alert!

Dr. Johnston tells attorney Matt that his wife Liz will not recover from her head injury. (0:11)

Matt, after finding his daughter Alexandra intoxicated: "What is it that makes the women in my life want to destroy themselves?... Alexandra with her drugs..." (0:20)

Matt tells his daughter Alexandra that her mother will not survive. (0:25)

Matt's mother-in-law Alice appears demented, unable to recognize family. (0:38)

Referring to her friend Sid, Matt tells Alex, "Your friend is completely retarded."
Sid: "Hey, man. My little brother is retarded. Don't use that word in a derogatory fashion."
Matt: "Oh."
Sid: "Psych! I don't have a retarded brother." (0:40)

Matt tells Alex, "This is stalking or something."
Alex: "It's not like we're stalking him exactly." (0:42)

Matt tells comatose Liz he believe she might tell him, "Tell me again that I'm too out of touch with my feelings and that I need to go to therapy." (0:46)

Her sister Scottie tells Alex what to say to their comatose mother, "Tell her how you were drunk the other night. Tell her how maybe you're an alcoholic." (0:47)

Matt tells friends and family Liz will be taken off life support. "Everyone who loves Elizabeth deserves a chance to say good-bye." (0:52)

Sid tells Matt, "And I always have weed."
Sic continues about his mom, "But lately she's been getting the house together after my dad died. My dad died a few months ago. November 24th. Drunk driver. Actually, uh, both drivers were drunk." (1:06)

Scottie learns her mother will die. (1:27)

Scottie, Alex and Matt spread Liz's ashes in the Pacific off Waikiki. (1:46)

Bereavement | senile dementia | Mental Retardation | stalking

George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Judy Greer 2011

Read the novel:

Marnie

2012-01-21T10:58:00.000-08:00

#marniemovie

Spoiler alert!

Thief Marnie reacts to red flowers with intense emotion. (0:09)

Marnie reacts to a tapping sound during a dream. (0:17)

Marnie reacts to red ink spilled on her sleeve with intense emotion. (0:26)

Marnie's boss Mark tells her of his interest in the "instinctual behavior" of animals.
"It includes all the animal ancestors from whom man derived his instincts."
Marnie: "Ladys' instincts too?"
Mark: "Well that paper deals with the instincts of predators."
Marnie reacts to lightning and thunder with intense emotion. (0:30)

Marnie reacts to red on a jockey's jersey with intense emotion. (0:37)

Mark tells Marnie, "If I hadn't caught you, you would have gone on stealling..."
"again and again."
"What you do need, I suspect, is a psychiatrist."
Marnie: "You say no thanks to one of them and, bingo, you're a candidate for the funny farm." (1:11)

Mark finds Marnie face down in the ship's pool.
Marnie tells him, "The idea was to kill myself..." (1:18)

Mark awakens Marnie during another nightmare associated with a tapping sound. She cries out, "Don't hurt my mama."
Mark's sister-in-law Lil sees that he has been reading a book entitled, "Sexual Abberations of the Criminial Female."
Mark asks Marnie about pills he finds at her bedside, reels off a list of other ways she could kill herself, including "heights, ropes, ovens, even plastic bags." He asks about her dreams.
Marnie says, referring to her mother Bernice, "They'll hurt her."
She asks Mark, "You Freud. Me Jane?"
Mark: "If you won't see an analyst why don't you try to help yourself?"
"Start with The Undiscovered Self."
Marnie: "Shall I start with dreams, or should we free associate? Oh, doctor, I'll bet you're just dying to free associate. Alright now, you give me a word and I'll give you a free association." (1:30)

Marnie reacts emotionally when Mark says, "Red." (1:37)

Mark tells Marnie, "We can hire a lawyer and a psychiatrist." (1:43)

Marnie rides away when she sees a red coat on another rider. (1:45)

Marnie is ready to steal again but is intensely ambivalent, does not take the money." (1:53)

Mark tells Bernice Edgar, "She has no memory of what happened that night." (1:57)

In a little girl's voice Marnie tells Mark, "You let my mama go.
She recalls killing a sailor who hurt her mother, and the color of his blood. (1:59)

Bernice, "I thought when she lost her memory..." (2:04)

Does Marnie's stealing qualify as a repetition compulsion? Compare it to Hettinger's compulsive stealing in The Onion Field. Has Mark induced an abreaction? Will it cure Marnie?

ambivalence | Dissociative Amnesia | flashback | instinct | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder | recovered memory | repetition compulsion | Sigmund Freud | suicide

Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Diane Baker, Martin Gabel 1964

Read the novel by Winston Graham:

Midnight in Paris

2012-01-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

#midnightinparis | Official Site | Facebook

Professor Paul tells his friends in an earlier time there might have been "..., no suicide bombing..." (0:10)

Writer Zelda Fitzgerald tells Gil he looks "lobotomized." (0:21)

Gil and his model friend Adriana stop Zelda from jumping into the Seine to kill herself.
Gil offers Zelda a pill. She asks him, "What is this?"
Gil: "It's a Valium. It'll make you feel better."
"Since I've been engaged to Inez I've been having panic attacks."
Zelda: "I never heard of Valium. What is this?"
Gil: "The pill of the future." (0:52)

Gil tells writer T. S. Elliot, "Listen, where I come from people measure out their lives with coke spoons." (1:01)

Adriana and Gil join painter Henri at a table on which rests a glass of absinthe. (1:19)

Gil tells Adriana, "I'm having an insight now... It explains the anxiety in my dream that I had." (1:22)

Gil tells writer Gertrude, "That's called denial." (1:24)

Gil tells his fiance Inez, "It's cognitive dissonance." (1:25)

Inez asks Gil if he will live "with your crazy hallucinatory friends?" (1:26)

absinthe | denial | diazepam | insight | lobotomy | panic attack | suicide

Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard 2011

The Wrong Man

2012-01-18T08:53:00.000-08:00

#thewrongman

The desk lieutenant asks robbery suspect Manny, "Use narcotics?" (0:40)

Rose appears depressed, tells Manny, "I can't sleep."
"You're not eating either."
Rose:"When a person doesn't sleep and doesn't eat and seems to lose interest in everything."
Manny: "The last few days you haven't seemed to care..."
Rose: "It doesn't do any good to care."
Rose loses hope: "They'll smash us down."
"It's true Manny. There is something wrong with me. You'll have to let them put me somewhere." (1:15)

Rose in the psychiatrist's office. "They know I'm guilty."
Dr. Bannay: "She doesn't see anything as it is... darkens the whole world for her."
(1:19)

Manny takes Rose to the psychiatric hospital. Staff escort her up the stairs. (1:23)

Manny visits Rose in her hospital room. The good news does not seem to get through to her. She pulls back when he approaches her. "Nothing can help me, no one." (1:41)

depression | narcotic | psychiatrist

Henry Fonda, Vera Miles, Anthony Quayle, Harold J. Stone 1956

Calvin Marshall

2012-01-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

#calvinmarshall

Calvin asks baseball coach Little, "So you want me to stalk her?"
Coach Little: "No, don't stalk her." (0:27)

Calvin tells volleyball star Tori, "I'm not stalking you." (0:28)

Calvin tells Tori, referring to his mother, "She died when I was ten." (0:36)

Tori with her terminally ill mother. (0:55)

Coach Little intoxicated. (0:56)

Calvin tells coach Little, "You are so deluded."
Coach Little: "I'm deluded?"
"You're the most delusional player that I've ever met." (1:11)

Burial of Tori's mother.
Calvin places flowers on his own mother's grave. (1:19)

Alcohol Intoxication | Bereavement | delusion | stalking

Alex Frost, Michelle Lombardo, Jane Adams, Andrew Wilson 2009

Everybody's Fine

2012-01-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

#everybodysfine

Spoiler alert!

Doctor Ed tells widower Frank, "You know I lost my wife. I found myself talking to her like she was still there." (0:08)

Frank's daughter Amy tells her brother Robert about their artist brother David in Mexico and her conversation with police. "They said the arrest was drug related." (0:29)

Frank denies his disappointment in Robert. He says, "I'm not disappointed. You obvioiusly are." (0:43)

A truck driver asks Frank, "You lost your wife?"
Frank: "About eight months ago."
Driver: "I lost my husband... lost him to drink, but it was my fault." (0:53)

Frank has left his wife's voice on his outgoing voice mail. (0:57)

Rosie tells Frank that David, "so never wanted to let you down." (1:08)

In a telephone conversation Amy tells Rosie, "David was caught by using drugs in a bar. He got sick so quickly that now they think he may have panicked and swallowed some of the drugs while he was arrested." (1:11)

During an imaginary meal Frank confronts all the children as young kids about lying to him. Rosie: "I didn't want to disappoint you."
David: "Act as if nothing's wrong. That's what Mom did." (1:14)

Amy tells Frank, "David died Dad."
"They said it was an overdose."
Frank cries. He imagines a conversation with David, first as a child, then as adult. (1:21)

Frank talks to his deceased wife Jean at her grave. (1:27)

Frank has recorded his own voice for the outgoing message. (1:31)

Bereavement | denial | family secrets | overdose

Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale 2009

The Millionairess

2012-01-13T17:49:00.000-08:00

#themillionairess

Heiress Epifania jumps off a bridge intent on killing herself: "I'm not swimming. I'm committing suicide. Do you hear me? I'm killing myself." (0:08)

Epifania tells solicitor Julius, "Say that my husband's infidelity drove me to kill myself."
"Arrange an infallible way for me to committ suicide."
Julius, handing Epifania a piece of paper: "For the suicide. Tell the chemist that the cyanide is for a wasp's nest... One sip will kill you..."
"So you expect me to kill myself merely to make money for you." (0:10)

Epifania meets psychiatrist Adrian who negotiates a commission with Julius.
Adrian, after asking Epifania to lie on the couch: "I want you to tell me first exactly what comes into your mind."
"There's no need to feel guilt..."
Epifania: "You are so sympathetic... so understanding."
Adrian: "With you it is a pleasure." (0:17)

Adrian reports on the treatment to Julius.
Julius: You mean to say that you've already got her out of her Oedipus complex, her father fixation...?"
"Not until you've replaced her father's image with your own."
Adrian: "Perfectly Freudian."
"I must break down her dependency on this nostalgia... (0:20)

Adrian tells Epifania, "Throughout your analysis... throughout your analysis... throughout your analysis..."
"You are suffering from a most acute father fixation..."
When he tries to kiss her Epifania first throws Adrian to the ground then into the water. Transference? (0:22)

Dr. Ahmed tells Epifania, "You are a psychological curiosity madam." (0:41)

Dr. Ahmed tells Epifania, "I have a mother fixation." (0:48)

Dr. Ahmed, believing Epifania intends to jump to her death, tells her to stop. Fearful as he looks over the edge he tells her, "I can't stand heights." (1:23)

acrophobia | boundaries | Sigmund Freud | Oedipus complex | psychiatrist | psychoanalysis | suicide

Sophia Loren, Peter Sellers, Alastair Sim 1960

People Will Talk

2012-01-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

#peoplewilltalk

Professor Elwell tells housekeeper Sarah, referring to Dr. Noah Praetorius, "Possible hypnotist. Check on narcotics administered." (0:04)

Noah asks a doctor, "How was she when she made this one? Depressed?" (0:13)

Thinking she is pregnant patient Deborah shoots herself with a pistol.
Noah's assistant Henry Shunderson asks Praetorius, "Why'd she try to kill herself... She'll try it again." (0:26)

Noah tells Prof. Barker, "Our American mania for sterile packages has removed the flavor from most of our food." (0:42)

Barker tells Noah, "In a catastrophe like this he either resigns or blows his brains out." (1:17)

Deborah tells Noah, "Let's not mess with the unconscious right now."
"You understood why I tried to kill myself." (1:23)

Barker addresses those present at the hearing, "Call Praetorius a psychiatrist, high priest,..." (1:33)

Noah tells the board of inquiry, referring to Shunderson, "And I think it is understandable if from time to time he may seem a little confused and perhaps even a little dull witted." (1:45)

mania | psychotherapy | suicide | unconscious

Cary Grant, Jeanne Crain, Finlay Currie, Hume Cronyn 1951

The Pearls of the Crown

2012-01-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

#pearlsofthecrown

Napoleon asks, "Why didn't they let me die? The poison I took was already taking effect." (1:24)

suicide

Jacqueline Delubac, Sacha Guitry, Lyn Harding, Renee Saint-Cyr, Enrico Glori, Ermete Zacconi, Barbara Shaw, Marguerite Moreno, Arletty 1937

Cocaine: One Man's Seduction

2012-01-10T19:42:00.000-08:00

#cocaineseduction

Spoiler alert!

Real estate agent Eddie's friend Robin asks Eddie, "Toot?". She snorts cocaine from a vial with a spoon. (0:07)

Eddie's son Buddy asks Eddie, "What kind of drugs are you feeding to Dr. Mort?" (0:18)

Mortgage broker Bruce snorts cocaine with a spoon than offers some to Eddie: "It's not addictive." Eddie tries two snorts.
Bruce: "You can breathe Eddie. It's not grass." (0:23)

Bruce prepares cocaine lines on a mirror. Robyn and Bruce snort with straws. Bruce tells Eddie, "I handle loans. Shrinks are on the 5th floor. Toot?" (0:32)

Eddie snorts two lines. (0:34)

Eddie hides a packet of cocaine in a box then removes it and snorts some. (0:37)

Eddie uses cocaine while showing a house. (0:39)

Dentist Mort tells Eddie, "I'm a little depressed. That's all. Sleeping lousy." (0:40)

Eddie uses inhaler to snort cocaine. His wife Barbara finds him still working at 4:00 AM. (0:45)

Barbara tells Eddie, "Mort Broom tried to commit suicide."
Barbara: "What kind of a person tries to kill himself with a hunting rifle." (0:47)

Mort tells Eddie, "I've been doing very bad things. Cocaine. A lot of it." (0:49)

Eddie appears disoriented. (0:50)

Bruce prepares lines of cocaine on a mirror. (0:51)

Bruce snorts, then Eddie. (0:52)

Mort tells Eddie, "A lot of people feel strange when they know someone's a druggie... I'm seeing a shrink..." (0:54)

Eddie retrieves a packet of cocaine. (0:56)

While Bruce puts cocaine in a vial for Eddie, Robin objects, "He's not a casual tooter." (0:57)

Eddie takes delivery of large amount of cocaine, snorts some and says, "Good toot."
Intoxicated with Robin, Eddie says, "Right now I'm very loaded."
Robin: "It's not love. It's the drugs." (0:58)

Mort tells Eddie, "You're buzzing so loud I can hear you."
"I was writing prescriptions for pharmaceutical cocaine."
"I smoked freebase 30, 40 hours at a stretch... I wanted cocaine."
"I tried to kill myself."
"You paranoid?"
Eddie: "I'm not some kind of an addict."
Mort: "You're a drug abuser, just like me." (1:02)

"You've got me ready for the funny farm." (1:08)

Trying to snort Eddie drops his stash in the toilet. (1:10)

Eddie holds, stares at vial and snorts. His nose bleeds.
Eddie becomes defensive his boss Dan: "I don't know if it's head trips or what." (1:12)

Barbara confronts Buddy about drug she found in his things.
Eddie asks Buddy, "Why do you mess yourself up with dope?"
Buddy tells Eddie, "They cut the stuff with speed, lidocaine."
"Dad's got a drug problem..." (1:14)

Barbara asks Eddie, "When can we talk about this whole thing with the drugs?" (1:17)

Buddy tells Eddie, "There's more drugs around the school campus than you could find out on the street... I don't do drugs because I made the choice not to." (1:19)

Buddy tells Eddie, "I've seen guys get strung out." (1:20)

Eddie looks desperately for cocaine, finds a little. Eddie thinks there's someone outside. He asks his clients, "You got somebody watching me?" Eddie clutches his chest before collapsing on the floor. (1:25)

The emergency room doctor tells Barbara, "The dose wasn't lethal... Who knows with cocaine?"
"Your husband shows symptoms of cocaine poisoning... using a while... Frankly I'm surprised he didn't know he was overdosing. He should've known better... This isn't my first OD of the night... couldn't assimilate that much coke."
A police officer tells Buddy, referring to the doctor, "He's required by law to report drug OD's." (1:30)

The judge sentences Eddie to "mandatory drug rehabilitation... submit to random urinalysis... Any further involvement in drugs..." (1:32)

addict | addiction | cocaine | Cocaine Intoxication | cut | drug testing | overdose | paranoia | pharmaceutical | rehabilitation | suicide

Dennis Weaver, Karen Grassle, Pamela Bellwood 1983

Going Places

2012-01-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

#goingplaces

Small time crook Jean-Claude asks his compatriot Pierrot, "Hearing voices or something?" (0:17)

Jean-Claude reassures Pierrot about his erectile dysfunction, "It's just psychosomatic." (0:41)

Newly released inmate Jeanne tells the waitress she misses her "mood swings." (1:14)

Jean-Claude and Pierro find Jeanne's lifeless body after hearing her shoot herself. (1:20)

Jacques tells the warden, "Tell him there was another suicide attempt." (1:39)

Antisocial Personality Disorder | Male Erectile Disorder | psychosomatic | suicide

Gerard Depardieu, Jeanne Moreau, Isabelle Huppert 1974

Together Again

2012-01-09T06:47:00.000-08:00

#togetheragain

Her father-in-law Jonathan tells mayor Anne, referring to her step-daughter Diana, "She went to bed with a nervous breakdown." (0:06)

Jonathan tells Anne he does not like "to see a beautiful dish like you wasted on a neurotic step child." (0:07)

Sculptor George tells Anne about the night club, "The proprietor is definitely insane." (0:26)

insane | nervous breakdown | neurosis

Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer, Charles Coburn 1944

How to Murder Your Wife

2012-01-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

#murderyourwife

His attorney Harold's list of potentional grounds for divorce for cartoonist Stan includes "insanity."
Dr. Bentley asks stan about his medical history: "melancholia?" (0:41)

Butler Charlie tells Stan, referring to Stan's wife, "This woman is mad, stark raving mad." (0:46)

The pharmacist tells Stan, "excellent tranquilizer Mr. Ford... removes excessive inhibitions... almost completely without harmful side effects... dangerous only when taken with alcohol." (1:15)

Stan drops an unidentified drug into a drink. (1:17)

Stan's cartoon shows him putting "goofballs" in his wife's drink." (1:28)

On the witness stand Dr. Bently explains the drug with a long made up name to the court: "You can just call them goofballs."
Attorney: "Anyway doctor it is your opinion that these goofballs can under certain conditions be extremely dangerous?"
Bently: "Only if taken in conjunction with alcohol... Oh, you get a little high..." (1:37)

Stan says, "I did slip her a Mickey." (1:53)

barbiturate | chloral hydrate | inhibition | insane | melancholia | sedative-hypnotic | side effect

Jack Lemmon, Virna Lisi, Terry-Thomas, Eddie Mayehoff 1965

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

#vergenervousbreakdown

Actress Pepa tells pharmacist Isabel, "I need sleeping pills." (0:14)

Pepa swallows some pills but also tosses a few the blender. (0:17)

Pepa's friend Candela catches herself after trying to jump from the roof of Pepa's apartment.
Pepa: "You could have killed yourself."
Candela: "That was the idea."
Pepa tells her ex-lover's son Carlos, "Bring me my tranquilizers from the kitchen."
Candela and Pepa each swallow some tranquilizers. (0:38)

Marisa drinks gazpacho with pills dissolved in it. (0:41)

Pepa finds Marisa unconscious.
Pepa: "She got depressed and had some gazpacho."
"It was spiked with barbiturates."
Carlos: "What kind of barbiturates?"
Pepa: "Morphidal."
Carlos: "Were you trying to kill yourself too?" (0:43)

Pepa talks to her plants as she waters them: "You're depressed like me." (0:55)

Candela tells Carlos, "Carlos I'm sorry I teased you about your stuttering." (0:55)

Carlos tells Pepa, referring to his mother Lucia, "She's mentally ill."
"and was placed in a mental institution."
Pepa tells Carlos, "What an insane story." (0:57)

Pepa tells Ana Lucia is "Fresh out of the mental ward." (1:17)

Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano 1988

barbiturate | depression | hypnotic | nervous breakdown | sedative-hypnotic | Stuttering | suicide

The Grass Is Greener

2012-01-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

#grassisgreener

Mushroom grower Hillary tells American oil man Charles, "I'll bet you go to psychiatrists, and you take tranquilizers..." (0:17)

Butler Trevor tells Hillary's husband Victor. "He's gone cuckoo." (0:41)

Charles tells Hillary, "Not unless he's a lunatic."
Hillary: "He's not a lunatic." (1:14)

Hillary tells Victor, "This past week I've been more or less schizophrenic." (1:27)

psychiatrist | schizophrenia | sedative-hypnotic

Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons 1960

The Color Purple

2012-01-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

#thecolorpurple

Farmer Albert hits Celie. (0:12)

Celie jumps when the shopkeeper speaks to her. Increased startle response related to emotional trauma? (0:14)

Singer Shug's preacher father refuses to respond to her (1:20) even after she has married. (1:39)

The sheriff hits Sofia on the head with a revolver, knocking her unconscious. (1:25)

Sofia seems to have lost her robust personality and acquired a limp. Did both result from brain concussion? (1:58)

Sofia laughs again. (2:01)

Celie's step-father has died. Viewing of his body in church. (2:13)

Bereavement | concussion | emotional cutoff | Personality Change Due to a General Medical Condition | Physical Abuse of Child | startle response

Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey 1985

Read the novel by Alice Walker:

Panic

2012-01-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

#panicmovie

Spoiler alert!

According to family systems theory individual psychotherapy can result in dysfunctional triangulation in which the psychotherapist and identified patient become very close while another family member remains distant from the psychotherapist. The distant family member may resent the closeness of the psychotherapist to the identified patient. If the two family members happen to be hitmen the psychotherapist may want to reconsider the treatment plan.

Psychologist Dr. Parks tells hitman Alex, "We've been through this before Alex. You suffer from mood swings. You're depressive." (0:02)

Patient Sarah tells Alex in waiting room, "I think Dr. Leavitt's got a potential suicide on her hands or something."
"The shrink I'm waiting for..." (0:03)

Parks tells Alex, "I'm a therapist Alex. Therapy is as common as gasoline. It's what we need to keep us going. It's not a mental ward." (0:04)

Alex tells Parks, "No notes." (0:05)

Alex tells Parks, "I've never been to a shrink before. I don't believe in shrinks." (0:07)

Alex' father Michael asks Alex' mother Deidre, "Why is my son avoiding me?" (0:08)

Alex tells Deidre, "I've been seeing a shrink."
Deidre:"What are you seeing a shrink for? You're not crazy."
Deidre tells Michael, "He's seeing a shrink."
Michael: "Alex is seeing a shrink?"
"Shrink. They talk, right?" (0:09)

In the waiting room: Dr. Leavitt says, "Hi Sarah."
Parks asks Alex, "Does Martha know what you do?"
Alex: [no]
Parks tells Alex, "What you say in here about the past is completely protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, but if I think a crime is going to be committed I'm under obligation to report it to the authorities." (0:13)

Sarah's session Dr. Leavitt. (0:15)

In the waiting room Sarah asks Alex, "How's therapy going Alex?" (0:22)

Alex looks at photos of his next job: Dr. Parks. (0:24)

Alex asks Sarah, "How's therapy going?"
Sarah : "My sister Eileen's anorexic."
"What about therapy?" (0:31)

Alex tells Martha, "I was seeing a shrink"
Martha: "a shrink..."
"as in psychiatrist?"
Martha: "psychologist."
Martha: "You've always been unhappy." (0:38)

Deidre tells Alex' wife Martha, "You're being paranoid."
Martha: "I'm never paranoid except when I do coke and I haven't done coke... What, do you think I'm having a paranoid coke flashback?" (0:39)

Gun dealer Eddie tells Alex, "The truth is I'm kind of depressed." He says his wife's "Dr's been HMOd..." (0:41)

Alex stalks Dr. Parks. (0:42)

Alex in psychotherapy session with Dr. Parks. (0:47, 0:52)

Alex follows Dr. Parks as he walks his dog. He rescues him from muggers. (0:51)

Alex in psychotherapy session with Dr. Parks: "You're lying to your own therapist Alex." (0:58)

Michael tells Alex, referring to Alex' son Sammy, "The kid's a retard." (0:59)

Michael tells Alex, "It comes from that... shrink"
Alex: "You know about my shrink?"
Michael: "You can't tell anyone what we do."
Alex: "Trying to get me to kill my own... shrink." (1:00)

Ambivalent about what he wants to do, Alex parks in front of Dr. Parks' house, drives away. (1:02)

Sarah tells Alex, "Looks to me like you're stalking me."
Alex: "Stalking you? No. I'm not... Why would I be stalking you?" (1:04)

Sarah tells Alex, "I'm hysterical." (1:07)

Dr. Parks talks to a detective about Alex: "He's been following me."
Parks: "Delusional?" (1:08)

Martha, waiting for Sammy to finish his session with Dr. Parks, chats with Sarah. (1:19)

anorexia | Bereavement | boundaries | confidentiality | family secrets | hysteria | psychologist | psychotherapist | psychotherapy | stalking | suicide | triangulation

John Ritter, William Macy, Neve Campbell, Tracy Ullman, Donald Sutherland 2000

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

2012-01-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

#deathlyhallows2 | Official Site | Facebook | Post: Part 1

Harry at Dobbie's grave. (0:02)

Aberforth Dumbledore tells wizard Potter, "it's a suicide mission." (0:28)

Residents of Hogwards mourn their dead. (1:13)

Vodemort tells residents of Hogwards, "Harry Potter is dead." (1:39)

Bereavement | suicide

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson 2011

Three Coins in the Fountain

2012-01-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

#threecoinsfountain

Writer John tells secretary Miss Frances, "I worked myself into a creative hangover ." (0:12)

Miss Frances sets out to get drunk, first manifesting ataxic gait, then labile affect. (1:30)

Alcohol Intoxication | hangover | labile affect

Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire, Jean Peters 1954

Read the novel by Secondari: Coins in the Fountain