FREUD'S LAST SESSION

Ireland/UK, 2023, 109 minutes, Colour.

Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, Liv Lisa Fries, Jodi Balfour, Jeremy Northam, Orla Brady, George Andrew-Clarke, Rhys Mannion, Stephen Campbell Moore, Peter Warnock, Aiden McArdle.

Directed by Matt Brown.

With Anthony Hopkins in his mid-80s and a 55 year career playing Sigmund Freud, who can resist? It seemed he never met Christian apologist and fantasy author, Oxford CS Lewis, but veteran psychologist Arnold M.Nicholi wrote a book, The Question of God, placing the arguments of each in juxtaposition, compare and contrast. In 2012, playwright Mark St Germain wrote a play, drawing on The Question of God book and some information that before his death Freud met an Oxford don (not identified).

So, with the collaboration of the playwright, here is a film version of the play. For those interested in Freud, a great deal on his perspectives on psychoanalysis and, as expected, his views on sexuality. For those interested in Lewis, a great deal on his conversion experience, his sense of the presence of God. Freud was about to die. Lewis was to have an impactful career in broadcast, writing, Christianity, the Chronicles of Narnia…

It is September 3, 1939. Hitler has invaded Poland. Chamberlain will declare war on Germany. The atmosphere in London is tense, parents and children flocking to railway stations to evacuate the children, and air raid siren and shelter, planes flying overhead. In terms of a World War II film, this is an excellent evocation, filmed with muted colour.

Freud is living in Finchley, having fled Vienna the year earlier with his daughter, Anna, herself a reputable psychoanalyst, especially for children, who lectures in London. Freud has cancer of the mouth and is in pain. His also listening to the radio, wanting to hear the news about the war. And he has agreed for CS Lewis to visit him, even though the two have opposing views.

While most of the action takes place in Freud’s office/den, the play has been opened out with great impact, dramatised flashbacks to the early life of each of the men, Freud’s life and work in Vienna, his reputation, his refuge in England. With Lewis, there is his childhood, parents, but especially the experience of the trenches, death of a friend, wounded, the siren and shelter evoking memories of trench terror. Through these flashbacks and the consequent conversations, we learn a great deal about the two men.

While the two meet, there is quite some hostility between them, Freud and his atheism, his free thinking about sexuality and pleasure, while Lewis is rather more buttoned up, eager to defend belief in God. Which means there are many interesting conversations, Freud and his quips and putdowns, Lewis more aggressive at times. In fact, what we see is an incipient psychoanalysis by Freud of Lewis, not just what he says but what he doesn’t say. And, as the two interact, there are psychoanalyst intimations about Freud himself, especially about his relationship with his daughter, Anna, and Lewis’s attack on their codependence.

For those who side with Freud, the film will confirm their beliefs. They will not be persuaded by Lewis. However, those who side with Lewis, will appreciate his sense of the presence of God, a final dream as he nods off on the train back to Oxford, a forest full of bright light, transcendent light. But Lewis does tell Freud that God is often incognito in the world.

Interesting writing, top performances, a film with substance and intelligent challenge.

1. A blend of actual history and imagination? An Oxford Don visiting Freud just before his death? Identifying CS Lewis’s? Based on a book of speculation, adaptation as a successful play, the text of the play and its being opened out with flashbacks?
2. Audience knowledge of and interest in Freud, psychoanalysis, his career, his theories, his work in Vienna, fleeing the Nazis, settling in London, his final illness, cared for by his daughter, the information about his death, September 23, 1939? The impact of Anthony Hopkins playing him, screen presence, dominating, articulate, delivery, humour, seriousness?
3. Audience knowledge of and interest in CS Lewis? Christian apologist, his radio broadcasts, he is books, apologetics, the war and his linking with children, leading to his fantasies and fiction, especially Narnia?
4. The action taking place in London, September 3, 1939? First of September, Hitler invades Poland? Tensions? Chamberlain’s declaration of war? Atmosphere in London, the muted colour for the film, the trains, parents and children, the children being evacuated? The atmosphere in the streets? The air raid siren and taking shelter? Freud listening to the radio, not wanting to hear the music and his reasons for this, wanting to hear what Chamberlain says?
5. The focus on Freud, his age, cancer of the mouth and the prosthetic his need for medication relief, the routines in the house, his wife away, Anna and her care, the past psychoanalysis with her father, the suggestion of codependence, her going to the lecture, the phone call, hurrying out, knocking on the doors, the doctor, the taxi, coming to his aid? His anticipation of CS Lewis’s visit, complaining about punctuality, his quips and putdowns to Lewis, ironic?
6. The flashbacks, Freud and his Catholic nanny, St Jim from the and her statue, age 6, his making the sign of the cross, his father and the Scriptures, his reaction, ousting the nanny, forbidding his son to talk of heaven? The influence on his atheism? His growing up in Vienna, his clientele, reputation around the world?
7. The focus on Lewis, his age, his critique of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, his interest in visiting Freud, confronting him, the existence of God, psychoanalysis, his background in Oxford, his childhood, his parents, he and his brother boarding school in England at a young age, the consequences, his service in World War I, the flashbacks to life in the trenches, his best friend, entrusting care of his mother to Lewis, going over the top, the friend being killed, the shrapnel near Lewis’s heart and inoperable, time in hospital, Mrs Moore, the relationship, friend, her later being housekeeper? The scene at the pub, The Inklings, the presence of Tolkien, the scene with Tolkien – and Freud praising Tolkien’s fantasies?
8. The venue, the action within the house, the main room, Freud then, desks, chairs, the many statues, duties, many cultures, Freud’s explanations?
9. The discussion, the equivalent of a psychoanalysis session, Freud so, analysing Lewis, what Lewis said and what he didn’t say? And some reverse psychoanalysis of Freud himself?
10. The range of the discussion, some antagonism, scoring off each other, Freud self-confident, Lewis confident but British reserve, buttoned up character, difficult to express his inner life? Discussions of God, atheism, Freud’s perspective, Lewis’s conversion and his explanation, a sense of the presence of God, his comment that God goes incognito in our world?
11. The issue of sex and sexuality, Freud expressing his opinions, freedom, pleasure, the issue of homosexuality in British reserve, careful on the issue of lesbianism, his daughter?
12. The focus on Ana Freud, with her father, the psychoanalysis, Lewis mentioning codependence, Freud harsh reaction? Yet Anna and her devotion, but her skills with children psychoanalysis, going to the lecture, the put down by the authorities, the phone call, out of the lecture, searching for the medicine, returning? The character of Dorothy, in psychoanalysis, in Vienna, coming to England, the relationship, Anna and her hesitance, the decision to go with Dorothy, to be with her in the presence of her father? And his final nod and smile of approval? His final image in the film?
13. The contrast with Lewis, the visit of doctor Jones and his wanting to have a relationship with Ana, his being influential in persuading Freud to go to England? Lewis taking the dog for a walk, Freud’s comment about the dog being companion, indicating psychological states of the clients? Lewis then leaving, returning to Oxford, the train, falling asleep, the scenes in the past with the deer, the recurring scene, the transcendent light in the forest? The final image of Lewis?
14. The impact of the film for atheists, agreeing with Freud, dismissing Lewis’s ideas? The impact of the film for those who agreed with Lewis, his expression of his beliefs? And little impact on Freud?
15. The final information about Freud’s death, assisted by his doctor? And the future career of Lewis?