PSYCHE 59

US, 1964, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Curd Jurgens, Patricia Neal, Samantha Eggar, Ian Bannen.
Directed by Alexander Singer.

Psyche 59 is a rather lurid and hothouse melodrama of love and infidelity. The cast is one of the main interests and the varying styles of Patricia Neal and Samantha Eggar. In black and white, with a sombre yet melodramatic tone, the film was directed by Alexander Singer who made such films as Love has many Faces with Lana Turner at this time.

1. The meaning of the title, indication of themes? The importance of the mask of Allyson?

2. Black and white photography, music, atmosphere, British setting with European overtones? A background for this kind of psychological melodrama?

3. The psychological overtones of the film, especially in regard to Allyson and her relationship to Eric, Robin, Paul? How interesting was the exploration of the psychology of love and hate?

4. The film as an emotional melodrama, the exploration of the various kinds of love, the impact of hatred, possessiveness and domination? The relationship between reason and emotion? Emotional control of people?

5. The character of Allyson as the focus for the film? What kind of person was she, the initial riding with Paul, the indications of her relationship with Eric, her regard for her sister, her children? As a wife, as a mother? Her friendship with Paul? How did the film use cumulative details to convey the character of Allyson?

6. How important was her blindness? The mask during the credits, the impact of the audience realising she was blind, her ability to cope? The importance of the explanation of the cause, the psychological block, the not wanting to lock at memories? Her curiosity and wanting to know the truth, her seeking help? Her longing to see? How was this a symbol for Allyson?

7. Eric as a character? His relationship with his wife, his business skill, his love for Robin, the continual temptation, his memory of the night of Alison's blinding? His control, his indecision? His relationship with Paul and telling him the truth? What should he have done when confronted with Robin and her designs? His succumbing in the time of crisis, especially with Alison's seeing him in every sense? Was he a credible husband, man tormented by love and passion?

8. Robin as the evil woman? The background of her marriages, her return home, the details of her love and hatred for her sister? Her public spurning of Eric, her jealousy of Alison? The efforts she made to snare Eric? Her leading on of Paul? The incident with the horse, the irony of Alison's being hit and its leading to her seeing? The malice of her leading on Paul to an engagement? The revelation of the truth and her tantalising of Alison and Paul? The shock of Alison's seeing? What future would she and Eric have?

9. The importance of Paul amongst these characters? His innocence, devotion to Alison and Eric, his love for Robin? His being hurt by Robin’s using him for the engagement scene?

10. The contribution of the grandmother and her insight?

11. The build up to Alison's memories, the repetition of the scene with Eric and Robin in the bedroom, her trying to cope with this? Her deceiving them as regards the return of her eyesight?

12. The sequence of the announcement of the engagement, audiences sharing the shock, the embarrassment? Erie finally succumbing to the temptation of Robin? The humiliation of Paul? The liberation of Alison, her sense of freedom, compared with her suicidal feelings? The final sequence of her seeing and her liberation?

13. How realistically should the film have been taken? How symbolically? The elements of soap opera, turgid and complicated emotional melodrama? Was it successful in what it set out to explore7