Depiction of Mental Illness in Classic American Films

Overview

Feature films provide intriguing case studies of individuals suffering from mental illness, strongly influencing public opinion. This series is focused on the depiction of mental illness in four classic American films – Streetcar Named Desire, Spellbound, All About Eve and Shock Corridor. These masterpieces were produced at a time when filmmakers became interested in articulating subjective personal statements rather than just recounting a good story in an accurate way.  They used symbolism as well as the emerging techniques editing, lighting, music, casting, camera position and aspect ratio.

Topics

Week 1: We begin with an overview of the history of film production and of cinematographic techniques that help convey the filmmaker’s personal statement. The session continues with remarks about the biography of Tennessee Williams and the sociocultural context of Streetcar Named Desire.

Week 2: This session begins with information about the music in Streetcar and the connections between the film and the actors’ personalities and problems. We continue with a discussion of the symbols and themes that pervade the film and of the ways in which Stella’s pregnancy is a pivotal element. We conclude with a discussion of the diagnosis (diagnoses) that fit Blanche’s problems.

Week 3: This session is devoted to a close, detailed, scene-by-scene analysis of Streetcar Named Desire.

Week 4: We briefly review the history of institutions for people suffering from mental illness. We continue with an overview of several Hitchcock films depicting mental illness, culminating with a discussion of the institutional setting of Spellbound.

Week 5: This session is devoted to Hollywood’s portrayal of “the evil woman”, emphasizing the classic film All About Eve.

Week 6: We review several of the feature films that led to the closure of many mental hospitals, focusing on the images and symbols in Samuel Fuller’s Shock Corridor.

Lecturer Biography

Barry H. Schneider is a retired clinical psychologist and professor of psychology. He has taught full-time at the University of Ottawa, the University of Toronto and Boston College as well as visiting professor appointments in 11 countries. He also has some background in film studies, including academic coursework and consulting work with independent filmmakers.