Lizzie (1957)

During the 1950s, a Los Angeles psychiatrist uses hypnosis to treat a 25 year old woman who's suffering from multiple personality disorder.

Director:

Hugo Haas

Writers:

Mel Dinelli, Shirley Jackson (novel)

Stars:

Eleanor Parker, Richard Boone, Joan Blondell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Eleanor Parker	...	Elizabeth / Lizzie / Beth Richmond
Richard Boone	...	Dr. Neal Wright
Joan Blondell	...	Aunt Morgan James
Hugo Haas	...	Walter Brenner
Ric Roman	...	Johnny Valenzo
Dorothy Arnold	...	Elizabeth's Mother
John Reach	...	Robin
Marion Ross	...	Ruth Seaton
Johnny Mathis	...	Piano Singer

Storyline

Elizabeth has reoccurring headaches and trouble sleeping. Threatening letters signed by Lizzie are given to her, but she does not know anyone named Lizzie. As her situation deteriorates, she goes to a Dr. Wright who hypnotizes her. Deep in her subconscious, Dr. Wright finds three personalities; Elizabeth, the shy one that everyone knows; Lizzie, the wild one like her mother; and Beth, the good one she should have become. Dr. Wright must help the personality of Beth become the only one.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | forename as title | nickname as title | psychotronic film | woman | 

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Taglines:

She led 3 strange lives! Which was her real self?

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Eleanor Parker appears to be much older than her stated character's age of 25(she was actually 35).

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Goofs

In Mathis' first scene at the bar, the position of the microphone head and the drink near it on the piano keep changing positions between shots.

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Soundtracks

Warm and Tender
Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Performed by Johnny Mathis

User Reviews

The 3 Faces of Eleanor Parker

1957 was apparently a year for muliptle personalities. Joanne Woodward got her Oscar for The Three Faces Of Eve and Eleanor Parker came out with this film Lizzie.

With the acclaim that Woodward's film got which made her a star, Lizzie seems to be lost in the shuffle. That's a pity because Parker's performance is noteworthy and may have been Oscar worthy.

The similarities between the films are really astonishing. Parker is a woman with three recognizable personalities, a mousy good girl, a tramp who writes nasty letters to her other selves and a relatively normal type. Both go through some therapy with a psychiatrist in this film Richard Boone to find a cure. As is usual with films on mental illness the cure is way too simplistic. But the moviegoing public wants easy answers to life's problems. It's why they go to the cinema.

Also note a good performance by Joan Blondell as Lizzie's frowsy drunk of an aunt whom she lives with

Lizzie is wortthwhile viewing.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 January 1958 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Hidden Faces

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$361,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bryna Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1