A Dangerous Method

Saw A Dangerous Method, a film by Cronenberg about the relationship between Freud and Jung. The film is mostly a straightforward period drama. It does deal with scientific theories as opposed to matrimonial intrigue but it still has an air of restraint which is both a product of the times and an appropriate nod to the psychological theories of the time with regards to repression and the dangers of. Also appropriate: the film reduces everything to sex.

The focus is mostly on Jung and his affair with a hysterical patient turned friend turned lover. She, the hysterical, goes on to become a psychologist and Jung says that perhaps all psychologists are slightly crazy. The film goes through some efforts to point out the madness of Jung, who is clearly deeply repressed (in the Freudian sense) and also believes that he is psychic in some small way. The film also makes Freud unpleasant (if not crazy) in his continual analysis of Jung and everyone else he comes into contact with. The first scenes with Freud seem like almost like an oily con artist gulling a new mark.

The social attitudes of the characters are quite modern. They rail at some length, for example, against monogamy and religion. Of course, as the affair demonstrates, these arguments are sort of self-serving and may be more rationalization than anything. There's another patient/doctor named Otto who is an out-and-out sex maniac. He explains that he only wants to be a doctor so that he can seduce his patients. Jung is horrified by this, but Otto counters that professionalism is only another sort of repression, right?

An interesting film, much more to do with Jung's bedmates than anything, but restrained and subtle the way that The Godfather is for example. I'm also not seeing much Cronenberg here alas. He's probably just exploring an interest that isn't body horror, but I was looking forward to perhaps a dream sequence or something. The film is restrained but compelling.