THE FIVE OF ME

US, 1981, 104 minutes, Colour.
David Birney, Dee Wallace Stone, Mitch Ryan, John Mc Liam, James Whitmore Jr, Ben Piazza.
Directed by Paul Wendkos.

The Five of Me, as the title indicates, is a film about psychological states. It focuses on David Birney and Dee Wallace as a married couple, problems and the consultation with doctor and psychiatrist.

The film is reminiscent of films like The Three Faces of Eve and Sybil. The film was directed by Paul Wendkos who had a career over several decades with a range of feature films and television movies like this one.

1.Interest in psychological states? Psychology dramas? Explorations of personality? The precedents in The Three Faces of Eve, Lizzie, Sybil? Audience interest and knowledge? Concern?

2.The film as a television film, for the home audience? Its impact? Television style? The portrait of home, doctors’ surgeries …? Musical score?

3.The American background, American families, the experience of war, especially the Korean War? The experience of prisoners of war? The 1950s and the 1960s? The aftermath and consequences on ordinary life? Developments in medicine? Psychology?

4.The theories of multiple personalities – and the background of Dr Jekyll? and Mr Hyde? The phenomenon, the experience, reasons, co-existing personalities, different names, interrelationships of the personalities? Facets of the one personality? The emergence? For Dana? For the others?

5.The explanation: the boy, his father, combat, sex, individuality, escape, sleep? The war and the experience? Helping Harry? The limp? The discharge and the change? Potential?

6.His life, the real estate agent, the mess? Goals? In an out of personalities with Harry? Driving, death? The funeral? Anne and the comfort? The change? Burning? Different behaviour? Johnny as rough? Contrast with Dana? The doctor and the reassurance? The marriage?

7.The behaviour, in the marriage, over the years? Quiet, the boy, drinking? Loud, the experience with Sally? The attempt to strangle Anne? The role of the police?

8.His father and his turning, the toilet, the change, fears as Peter? Continuing to move in and out? The fascination and credibility of these experiences? Driving, the injury?

9.The court situation, Doctor Allison, his background, help, therapy, snide remarks, the demonstration and its impact? Being reunited with Anne?

10.The success of the therapy, audience sympathy? And alert? Belief in the possibilities of therapy?