Hysteria (2011)

The truth of how Mortimer Granville devised the invention of the first vibrator in the name of medical science.

Director:

Tanya Wexler

Writers:

Stephen Dyer (story), Jonah Lisa Dyer (story),

Stars:

Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jonathan Pryce

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Dancy	...	Mortimer Granville
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Charlotte Dalrymple
Jonathan Pryce	...	Dr. Robert Dalrymple
Felicity Jones	...	Emily Dalrymple
Rupert Everett	...	Edmund St. John-Smythe
Ashley Jensen	...	Fannie
Sheridan Smith	...	Molly
Gemma Jones	...	Lady St. John-Smythe
Malcolm Rennie	...	Lord St. John-Smythe
Kim Criswell	...	Mrs. Castellari
Georgie Glen	...	Mrs. Parsons
Elisabet Johannesdottir	...	Mrs. Pearce
Linda Woodhall	...	Nurse Smalley
Kim Selby	...	Lady Wheaton
John Overstall	...	Mr. Huddleston

Storyline

In 1880 pioneering doctor Mortimer Granville,sacked from various hospitals for challenging his superiors' out-moded methods,gets a job with Dr Dalrymple,who relieves female patients' frustrations - or hysteria - with pelvic massages which allow orgasm. The handsome young doctor attracts a large female clientele and gets engaged to Dalrymple's studious younger daughter Emily but after the constant massaging brings on a carpal injury he is sacked. Fortunately an enterprising inventor friend has come up with a power operated feather duster which will soon be transformed into a vibrator and make Mortimer a fortune. Along the way he also realises that his heart really lies with Emily's older sister Charlotte,an outspoken suffragette who runs a home for disadvantaged women in London's East End.

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Plot Keywords:

doctor | invention | hysteria | vibrator | treatment | 

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Taglines:

A comedy about the birth of the vibrator in Victorian England.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK France Germany Luxembourg

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 2011 (France)

Also Known As:

Histeria

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$35,656 (USA) (18 May 2012)

Gross:

$1,799,187 (USA) (21 September 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Informant Media, Forthcoming Productions, Beachfront Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dr. Granville’s electromechanical vibrator was portable but had a wet cell battery that weighed about 40 pounds.

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Goofs

The newspaper photograph of Doctor Granville is taken with flash powder in a flash pan. The story takes place in 1880 and flash powder was not invented until 1885.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Bellamy: I truly don't even know why I'm here, doctor.
[pen scraping]
Mrs. Bellamy: Well, of course it's difficult running a large household by oneself. And raising four children is exacting, but they're wonderful, wonderful children. And my husband, he's a good man. A very hard worker. Um... Ahem. Well, there is just one thing. Sometimes at night, when he comes to me, I imagine myself splitting his fat bald head with a great large ax.
[pen scraping]

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits images of several different vibrators throughout history are shown.

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Connections

Referenced in Special Collector's Edition: Christine (2013)

User Reviews

hysterically holly molly jolly!!!!!!!

this film is absolutely a gem of comedy, so enjoyable and right on the money. i never knew the origin of the portable massager, now i know, and that's a plus after fully enjoyed this wonderful British film. great screenplay, great directing and of course, with nice casting job, making this comedy an undisputable winner. this is a model comedy that Hollywood should learn how to make comedies being able to be titled in the genre of real comedies instead of turning out just farces. to me, about 98% of the so-called 'comedies' are actually nothing but. comedy does not mean casting some jerk-like clowns with exaggerated facial expressions or pretentious unnatural way of talking, some moronic gestures with lot of abnormally crazy dialog, ridiculous scenario, impossible twists of plots....so and so, then you call it a 'comedy'. absolutely not.

this film is the real deal that we can officially title it as a comedy and, a great one,