ESCAPING THE MADHOUSE: THE NELLIE BLY STORY

US, 2019, 88 minutes, Colour.

Christina Ricci, Josh Bowman, Judith Light, Mark Hildreth.

Directed by Karen Moncrieff.

As the journalist, Nellie Bly, has been the subject of several films as well is a character in television stories. Here she is played by Christina Ricci. Linda Purl played her in the 1981 The Adventures of Nellie Bly and Caroline Barry played her in the 2015 10 Days in a Madhouse.

The exposition of the story is limited by the running time of the film, under 90 minutes. There are some brief explanations as to how Nellie Bly was taken to Blackwell’s Island to the asylum there and some flashbacks to her work as a journalist and her being commissioned by newspaper magnate, Joseph Pulitzer, to investigate the asylum. The main part of the drama shows her interactions with other inmates, her treatment by the nurses, harsh treatment, even isolation for insubordination. Judith Light is quite monstrous as the unrelenting Matron Grady.

The film moves very quickly to a nurse, sympathetic, communicating with the outside world, a friend coming to rescue Nellie Bly, the surprise denunciation of the rather sympathetic British doctor whose reputation is shady.

Interesting but slight.

1. Audience knowledge of Nellie Bly, 19^th-century journalist, the expose of the asylum on Blackwell’s Island, her further career in reporting, her reputation, the Hall of Fame?
2. New York, the later 19^th century, costumes and decor? Pulitzer, newspaper baron, the office, reporters? Exclusive stories? His support of Nellie Bly, the publication of her articles?
3. New York society, the role of women, the emerging professional women? Men, their reactions?
4. The structure of the film, introducing Nellie, admitted to the asylum, her case, the treatment? The revealing of her plan, her tactics? The effect on her? Flashbacks, her career, her relationship?
5. The picture of the asylums of the time? Matron Grady, her personality, her past story, explanation of the severity, assumptions about the inmates, less than human, treatment, rooms and conditions, hygiene, food, punishments? The compliance of the nursing staff, doing the job and then going home, the severity of others, the touch of humanity in others?
6. Nellie, the various inmates, their stories, her discussions with them, making friends, the meetings? Nellie trying to save them?
7. The doctor, charming, his concern about Nellie, the interviews, discussions with the matron, her warnings? The audience thinking of him as supportive? The revelations about his past, getting the job in New York, his approaches, the final expose and his shame?
8. Blackwell’s Island, so near to Manhattan, so far? Nellie looking out, wanting to make contact?
9. The effect of the experience on her, her stances, matron Grady and the discipline, isolation, rations? The collapse? Her friend coming to rescue her, the reaction of the Matron and the staff? The leading nurse, discussions with Nellie, making communication?
10. The rescue of Nellie, her expose, the shaming of the staff and the matron?
11. The beginnings of American investigative journalism?