SYBIL

US, 1976, 128 minutes, Colour.
Sally Field, Joanne Woodward, Brad Davis.
Directed by Daniel Petrie.

Sybil is a psychological drama adapted from a 4-hour TV special. In 1957 Joanne Woodward won an Oscar showing the Three Faces of Eve. Now she plays the psychiatrist while Sally Field shows the very many faces of Sybil. It is a warm psychological drama, with Joanne Woodward at her mature and sympathetic best. Sally Field displays excellent talent in convincing us of the bewildering torment of Sybil. The screenplay, based on a book recounting authentic experiences, shows psycho-analytic methods to help a patient face childhood traumas. The material runs the risk of oversimplification and sensationalising, but both dangers are avoided and the overall
impact is one of strong hope and faith in human loving support.

1. An interesting movie? Adaptation of a longer telemovie for cinema screens? Does the film show evidence of television origins? The focus on Sybil's name, the irony that there were so many other names and persons within her? The focusing on Sybil as the final person?

2. An American study? American psychology and its developments? A portrait of mental illness within the American context, traditions, family, religion? An optimistic view of healing? The concern of the psychiatrist, the therapy for Sybil? The authenticity of the story, Dr Wilbur as technical consultant, the therapy taking place over eleven years?

3. Audience interest in psychology and psychiatry? Its possibility of communicating with people, helping them, integrating them? The film's gearing psychiatry to the popular audience, explanation of terminology, of techniques? The dramatising of psychological techniques and audiences understanding them, empathising with them? The Freudian tradition, analysis, memory, the uncovering of the past, the integrating of the past into the present? Multiple personality and its possibilities, the way that it operates within the one person? The simplifying of psychological treatment for the short space of the film and communication?

4. The New York setting and the way the city was used - the parks, apartments, city streets and theatres, the hotels? The importance of the buildings? The contrast with the countryside, the past and Sybil's growing up in comparison with the contemporary city? The colour photography? The musical score? Sybil's musical theme and the way that this was interwoven throughout the score?

5. The impact of the opening and the first impression of Sybil? Her appearance, manner? Her way with the children, her charm? The sudden change with her in the water, her face? People's anxiety and the audience sharing this? The need for some therapy for Sybil?

6. Sybil and her experience with Dr Wilbur, her waking up and time passing? Audience puzzle and trying to understand what had happened to her? The significance of her absences from herself and her thinking that everybody was like this? The gradual facing of the truth by Sybil? Dr Wilbur's understanding of the case and her attitude and treatment?

7. How well did the film convey the various personalities within Sybil? Sally Field's skill in portraying these, Sybil herself, Vicky and her smartness, Vanessa and her lack of shyness, Marsha and her suicidal tendencies, Peggy as the child, Mary and even the boys within Sybil? What were the main characteristics of each personality? What did they represent in Sybil's personality? In the repressed part of her person? The way that they would emerge? The lack of knowledge in Sybil about the others and yet the others knowing Sybil and each other? The importance of the visualising of the attic room in the dark with the various personalities within it showing Sybil's multiple personalities?

8. The film's showing Sybil changing - the visuals of her memory, the visuals presenting all the personalities within her, mirror images?

9. Joanne Woodward's style as Dr Wilbur? A sympathetic psychiatrist, a maternal and professional woman? Her concern, understanding, patience? Her manner of speaking to Sybil e.g. 'Sweetie' and Sybil's liking this? Her skill in her work, her empathy? Her puzzle and her rising to the occasion of treating each personality and taking the personality as such? Her hastening to Sybil's aid especially at Christmas and the threatened suicide? Her being puzzled by Sybil's denial and knowledge of what each personality had said to her? Her effort in going back to Sybil's house and verifying the truth?

10. The effect of the therapy and friendship on Dr Wilbur? The background of Dr Wilbur's own life - seeing her at how, her husband, the party, her social life, her going to a conference and explaining this to Sybil? The importance of the walk along the street with her dog and the discussion with her psychologist friend and the warnings about identification?

11. The film's visualising of Sybil's memories? The opening and the suggestions of the swing and the glimpses of Sybil being hanged by her hands and the other tortures by her mother? Audience puzzle? The use of the musical theme in the memories? The association of sounds and their effects on Sybil? The visit of her father and his new wife and the psychological implications? The meal, Freda and her being hurt, Sybil's father and his religious righteousness and his being anti-psychologist? Sybil's inability to cope with this? The memories coming back after the visit? The visualising of the operation, the doctor's house, the rooms in her house? Audience response to Sybil's mother and the fact that she herself seemed to be schizophrenic and with multiple personalities? Her mother and her singing and playing the piano, housework, cooking? The torture? The hiding of Sybil in the barn, in the loft, in the trunk? The purple and the green? The gradual revelation of Sybil's mother - the small - presence of her father and the discussion about the operation, the dominance of her mother? Tying her to the piano and making her hold her water? The pushing of her down the stairs and hitting of her? The singing? The Christmas tree? The hanging her in the barn?

12. The character of Richard and his pleasantness? The playing with Matthew? The outing - and which personality went with Richard? Vanessa coping? The music in the streets outside the theatre? Richard as pleasant clown and friend? The Christmas dinner and presents? The bedroom scene and the effect on Sybil as she changed personality and climbed onto the cupboard? Marsha taking over and the suicide threats? Richard and his desperate contacting of Dr Wilbur and her arrival? His persuading Marsha not to kill herself? His overhearing Sybil talk about her love for him? His decision to leave - was it the right one? His crying when he heard it?

13. Dr Wilbur's intended visit to Chicago and Sybil's reaction pretending that it was all a hoax? The effect on Dr Wilbur and her checking out the past?

14. The importance of Dr Wilbur's visit and the audience sharing with her the look at the home, seeing the rooms in the present with so many memories of the past., the various shocks that Dr. Wilbur had in the empty house? The going to the barn and verifying the purple?

15. The doctor and his discussion with Dr Wilbur, his files. the accounts of so much torture on Sybil when she was young. his need for forgiveness?

16. The build-up to the truth? Sybil's ability to accept it? Yet her need to look away and talk about her need for affection? The single shot for her single take for her speech about affection and her sitting in the chair with Dr. Wilbur? The peace of integration?

17. The importance of the picnic the drawing, the overcoming of fear and her expression of hatred for her mother, wishing her dead - but yet not actually doing it? Dr Wilbur's comment that since Sybil survived the facts, she would survive the therapy?

18. How well could the audience build up the pieces of Sybil's life and experience by the end, understand her personality and its hurts, the harm that she had experienced in her growing up, her strengths in coping with it, her future as a teacher and in art?

19. How authentic was the film in its presentation of human nature, the interplay of communication and therapy, compassion and healing?