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This pseudo-biographical movie depicts 5 years from 1885 in the life of the Viennese psychologist Freud (Montgomery Clift). Disillusioned with the way his colleagues refuse to treat patients in a mental asylum, following a trip to Paris to visit Dr Charcot he sees how hysterical patients are treated by means of hypnosis.
Experimenting with these new techniques, Freud concentrates on Cecily Koertner (Susannah York), a young woman suffering a nervous and physical breakdown upon the death of her father.
Available for the first time on DVD.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having recently seen the disappointing film 'A Dangerous Method', I was expecting this Hollywood film a) to be flat and undramatic and b) to have simplified and 'dumbed down' Freud's ideas. In reality it was an excellent drama, like something by Hitchcock, and the portrayal of Freud's ideas was genuinely informative and subtle. Montgomery Clift's portrayal of Freud is also interesting - a tortured truth-seeker and not the steely-eyed haute-bourgeois that we have come to imagine (perhaps he became that later on). All in all, an excellent film.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By The CinemaScope Cat
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Unlike his fellow colleagues, the young doctor Sigmund Freud (Montgomery Clift) doesn't see hysteria in patients as a ploy to get attention but rather a symptom of a deeper, underlying neuroses. With this in mind, he concentrates on exploring the subconscious, often using hypnosis, in an attempt unlock their repressed memories and bring about a cure. Directed by John Huston, it's impossible to portray a lifetime of work in a two hours, fifteen minute running time so Huston cheats by cramming many case histories in several patients. Much of it can justifiably be called simplistic (as many of Freud's detractors would say of many of his theories) but what Huston has done, and what makes the film work, is turn Freud's research into a psychological thriller and exploration of the subconscious mind that is as riveting as any Agatha Christie mystery. Clift as Freud seems a trifle more reactive than necessary. In a way, this seems like an extension of his doctor in SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER. The real scene stealer here is the young Susannah York as his neurotic patient who is a cornucopia of symptoms (my favorite moment is when York says, "I was raised Prostitute ..... I mean Protestant!"). Curiously, Huston himself narrates Freud's inner thoughts rather than Clift. There's a superb atonal Oscar nominated score by Jerry Goldsmith. With Larry Parks, Susan Kohner, Eileen Herlie, Eric Portman, David McCallum and Rosalie Crutchley.
The Spanish DVD is a sharp wide screen (1.78) transfer but not anamorphic with English or Spanish tracks and removable subtitles.
The Spanish DVD is a sharp wide screen (1.78) transfer but not anamorphic with English or Spanish tracks and removable subtitles.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
FREUD is probably John Huston's most underrated film. The direction, acting, cinematography, and music are all top-notch. And, anyone familiar with Freud's life and thought should be gratified to see the care John Huston took to present Sigmund Freud's ideas and case histories. Unfortunately, one crucial dream scene is missing from this DVD release. In the original theatrical version, after "Freud" faints, when trying to enter the cemetery for his father's funeral, a dream sequence appeared wherein "Freud" sees a sign in a train station telling him "the eyes must remain shut"". On this DVD, after the fainting scene, we merely see a mysterious train pulling out from a station. This, the very end of the originally presented dream, is all we get! Since the full dream isn't shown, the next few scenes where "Freud" tries to decipher that dream's meaning make no sense whatsoever. It is exasperating to see a DVD of a film which has not been available in any previous video release, finally appear after all these years, with a key scene missing.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
an impressive Gothic film
This film was made half a century ago, well before I was born, but I am now so much obsessed with it.
It is well explained in details - frightening thesis Freud concludes. Read more
It is well explained in details - frightening thesis Freud concludes. Read more
Published 3 months ago by lenechen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Freud
I have just written a review on this item which is the third time however every time I try to submit it a sign comes up stating that appears to be some problem , so this will be... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Anne Greig
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