Movie: Hysteria
Genre: comedy and ?
Synopsis: This is based on
the life of Dr. Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy). He was a physician in Victorian London who
specialized in female disorders – specifically hysteria. This was the catch-all diagnosis of a long
list of female complaints which sometime resulted in unnecessary
hysterectomies. A popular (literally) treatment
for these women involved – to put it delicately – the physician doing some rather
personal massage of certain areas. What
Dr. Granville does to invent the electric vibrator, allowing the “massage” to
be done much easier and faster. Maggie
Gyllenhaal plays the daughter of Mortimer’s employer. She is devoted to trying
to help the women and children of London’s slum. She and Dr. Mortimer have a rather
contentious – but emotional – relationship.
My two cents: This was an interesting movie. I knew nothing
about the origins of hysteria as a diagnosis.
The arrogance of modern men can be rather surprising – but it is nothing
when compared to the arrogance prevalent in Victorian England. It was horrifying to see the conditions in
hospitals and clinics – not to mention gthe slums. This movie was worth seeing just from a
historical perspective. Add in the humor
of and interaction between Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy and you get a
must-see movie.
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