A Dangerous Method (2011)

A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers:

Christopher Hampton (screenplay), Christopher Hampton (play)

Stars:

Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 18 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keira Knightley	...	Sabina Spielrein
Viggo Mortensen	...	Sigmund Freud
Michael Fassbender	...	Carl Jung
Vincent Cassel	...	Otto Gross
Sarah Gadon	...	Emma Jung
André Hennicke	...	Professor Eugen Bleuler (as André M. Hennicke)
Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey	...	Sándor Ferenczi
Mignon Remé	...	Jung's Secretary
Mareike Carrière	...	Food Nurse
Franziska Arndt	...	Bath Nurse
Wladimir Matuchin	...	Nikolai Spielrein
André Dietz	...	Medical Policeman
Anna Thalbach	...	Bathtub Patient
Sarah Marecek	...	Orchard Nurse
Bjorn Geske	...	Orderly (as Björn Geske)

Storyline

Suffering from hysteria, Sabina Spielrein is hospitalized under the care of Dr. Carl Jung who has begun using Dr. Sigmund Freud's talking cure with some of his patients. Spielrain's psychological problems are deeply rooted in her childhood and violent father. She is highly intelligent however and hopes to be a doctor, eventually becoming a psychiatrist in her own right. The married Jung and Spielrein eventually become lovers. Jung and Freud develop an almost father-son relationship with Freud seeing the young Jung as his likely successor as the standard-bearer of his beliefs. A deep rift develops between them when Jung diverges from Freud's belief that while psychoanalysis can reveal the cause of psychological problems it cannot cure the patient.

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Plot Keywords:

dream interpretation | 1900s | spanking a woman | erotic bondage | bare breast | 

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Taglines:

Based on the true story of Jung, Freud and the patient who came between them.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK Germany Canada Switzerland USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 2011 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Un método peligroso

Filming Locations:

Schloss Belvedere - Rennweg 6, Vienna, Austria

Box Office

Budget:

€15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$167,953, 18 November 2011

Gross USA:

$5,702,083

Company Credits

Production Co:

Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Lago Film, Prospero Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Matthias Schoenaerts auditioned for a role, the audition went well and the casting agents wanted to call him back, however, he had pledged his commitment to Bullhead (2011) and so had to let the opportunity slip.

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Goofs

When Jung and Freud sail to America, the Statue of Liberty they pass by has a golden torch. But the statue's original torch, in place till 1984, had portholes in it which were illuminated from within. Not until 1986 was the current gold-leaf covered torch installed.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Carl Jung: [to his new patient] Good morning... I'm Dr. Jung. I admitted you yesterday.
Sabina Spielrein: I'm not... I'm not mad, you know.
Carl Jung: Let me explain what I have in mind. I propose that we meet here, most days, to talk for an hour or two.
Sabina Spielrein: Talk?
Carl Jung: Yes. Just talk. See if we can identify what's troubling you. So as to distract you as little as possible, I'm going to sit there, behind you. I'm going to ask you to try not to turn around and look at me under any circumstances. Now...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in From Stereo to Video (2014)

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Soundtracks

Excerpts from Siegfried
by Richard Wagner, original publication by Schott Music GmbH & Co KG, Mainz, Germany, 1876.
Adapted by Howard Shore, published by South Fifth Avenue Publishing, 2010.

User Reviews

The movie does a good job....at telling you absolutely nothing!

A movie about Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud directed by David Cronenberg? That sounds surprising and interesting, to say the very least but the movie as it turned out, was far from anything interesting to watch.

There are really multiple causes. The first and foremost problem is obviously with its story. And not just only the story in itself but also the things its emphasizes and puts its focus on. It makes some bad choices with this, which makes this movie feel like a very dry and distant one.

The movie is mostly focusing on the 'romance' between Jung and his mental patient, played greatly by Keira Knightley. Nothing wrong with that, if only the romance was anything really romantic or something to feel involved with. It instead just feels wrong and dirty and besides isn't made all that believable. Why, out of all of his patients and opportunities he must have had in his life, does Carl Jung suddenly decide to have an affair with this particular woman? What was so different or intriguing about her? This movie really doesn't give you the answers to any of this.

And if you think that this movie is being one that is sort of showing the rivalry between Freud and Jung and their opposing psychology methods, you are completely wrong. There is never any interesting dynamic between the two of them, which is granted also due to the fact that Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud, is hardly in the movie at all.

And don't know what their methods were and why there are still being used in today's psychoanalysis and why the both of them are being regarded as the two founding fathers of psychoanalysis? Don't expect this movie to show or tell you anything! It really remains on the surface all, as if it was afraid for its own subject and that it might loose some of its viewers with it.

In other words, the movie really isn't telling you anything interesting and it's mostly being an unusual romantic movie, you'll get very little out off.

All a same really, since the movie itself remains well made and acted out. It's a pretty good looking movie, with all of its historical sets and costumes and the actor's play their roles convincingly. It at least still makes the movie watchable but it's barely enough to keep you interested in it.

6/10

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