2008-04-11
Three faces of Eve
We will be watching a movie. This was done in 1957, it received an Oscar for best actress (Joan Wood?) - this was the first public case of multiple personality disorder (1953). The doctors did the work, and then they released a screenplay based on the novel. The fictional characters are based on the case study of Eve White, who has two other personalities. Dr. Luther in the film represents Dr. Thigpen in the actual case study. 1957 is real basics. Black and white. Like the Lucy show - separate beds and whole deal, all of that cultural stuff. You need to take plot points. You are going to write a paper after these film studies, on these plot points.
CinemaScope
Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb, Edwin Jerome, Alena Murray, Nancy Kulp, Douglas Spencer, Mimi Gibson, Terry Ann Ross, Keth Scott, .... Nunnally Johnson, Alistair Cooke
Thigpen, Cleckley, ...
This is a true story. How often have you seen that statement at the beginning of a story? This is a true story. This is about a sweet, baffled housewife who, in 1951, in Georgia, suddenly frightened her husband by behaving unlike herself. We all have moods, a secret yen to behave, like somebody we particularly admire, "Inside every fat man, a thin man is struggling to get out." There were two, very vivid and different personalities were battling for the character. This was "multiple personality". They delivered this to the American Psychiatric Association in 1953; it is a classic in psychiatric literature. The truth itself, was fabulous enough, and all of the episodes you will see, happened to this girl, Eve White, and much of the dialog is taken from the clinical record of 'Dr. Luther'.
August 20, 1951 - on an outing, husband and wife are going into a building. Knocking on a door. "Come in." Somebody at a desk. They are coming to see Dr. Luther. Very formal establishment. They were referred to Luther by a 'good friend' of Luther. Eve calls it a 'spell'. Sometimes twice a week now. Headaches. Same thing, same time. First a terrible headache, and then a spell. No recollection of what happened between the time playing in the backyard and the next morning. The husband didn't notice anything different. She did not have blackout-spells, none that she was aware of. Less than a year later, there were several things that indicated she needed urgent help. The little girl was playing with the shoes. $218 of shoes and dresses. The mother then gets a headache and strangles the child. Spells of manesia =! losing your mind. "Because now I'm hearing voices too." Just one voice, for months, she tells me to do things, a woman's voice. To leave Ralph, take Bonni and run away, terrible things. People who are losing their mind assume that hearing voices is like personal radio reception, not symptoms of illness. Then she changes her personality, not Eve White. Eve Black. Eve White doesn't know about Eve Black. Only what Black is interested in, in White's life. Eve Black goes out and gets drunk, sings, and then gives Eve White the hangover.
May 17, 1952 - admitted to psychiatric section of the hospital. First week was excellent. Luther was not sure of when to tell her about the personality she had repressed. Bonni back at the mother and father. Marriage was not a happy one. "I guess I just haven't been able to make him happy. I just irritate him so much." Ever had the feeling, somewhere deep down inside you, there might be somebody who couldn't quite reach but knew that was there? Switch to a closing scene where she switches personalities. Then he tells Eve White what's going on. He suggests reuniting the personalities. Then he talks to Ralph.
Two weeks in the hospital. Eve White or Eve Black - she would do no harm to herself or others. May 29th, 1952. Ralph to Jacksonville, Florida. Ms. White was not going to go with him.