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I just finished watching The Snake Pit, a 1948 film starring Olivia de Havilland. The film tackles the controversial topic of mental illness treatment. Having studied and taught psychology ,this film has been on my list of movies to watch. The film gives a shocking portrayal of the state of mental illness in the 1940s and graphically shows electric shock
therapy. The film concludes with a happy ending brought about by Freudian psychoanalysis. Clearly the film is dated. De Havilland gives a tremendously daring performance. While it is common for actresses today to bolster their resume by playing non-glamorous roles, during the 1940’s de Havilland took a significant risk playing a disturbed woman and being filmed with minimal make-up. While she was nominated for an Academy Award, she did not win. Best known for playing Melanie in Gone With The Wind, her career spanned the twentieth century and she is one of a handful of actress to bring home two Academy awards for best actress (1946 To Each His Own and 1949 The Heiress). I am looking forward to her return to the silver screen in I-59 South which is set to start filming next year.
