For most, childhood is full of pleasant memories of loving parents. But what happens when your parents don't love you? Worse yet, what happens when they commit acts of unspeakable abuse? This movie examines one girl's choice as to how to cope with such horror.
Dr. Cornelia Wilbur (Joanne Woodward), who narrates the movie, first meets Sybil Dorsett (Sally Field) in the emergency room of a New York hospital where Sybil has come after putting her hand through a window. Sybil seems a bit shaken up, and is acting strangely when suddenly, she appears to "wake up" and not know where she is or how she got there. Thus starts the journey these two women will take into Sybil's past to find out what happened to, in the words of Dr. Wilbur, "produce such a shattering," which led to Sybil's developing sixteen distinct personalities, all of which share her mind. Along the way, we meet Dr. Quinoness (Charles Lane), Sybil's childhood doctor, who lives with the guilt of remaining silent about Sybil's abuse; Sybil's father, Willard (William Prince) who blinded himself to what his wife was doing; and Sybil's mother, Hattie (Martine Bartlett), who earns the title of "monster" by abusing Sybil in an almost unimaginable way. But finding the cause of the split in personalities is only the beginning of helping Sybil to heal.
The movie is based on the book by Flora Rheta Schreiber, which was written at the request of Dr. Wilbur, and with Sybil Dorsett's consent. The script is basically faithful to the book, but some license is taken in order to make the story more dramatic. Whereas the book presents issues in a factual, almost unemotional, way, the movie gives a sense of the horror Sybil faced as a result of growing up with a mother like Hattie Dorsett. This works well in that when Sybil finally confronts what has been done to her, the audience is ready for the resulting catharsis.
The acting was excellent. Prince's portrayal of Willard is spot on as someone who will hide behind anything he can to keep from facing the truth. Bartlett is the epitome of evil malice as Hattie. Brad Davis does a nice job as a potential love interest for Sybil. Woodward's Dr. Wilbur is a stunning performance of a kind and caring psychotherapist. But the film really belongs to Field, who deserves the Emmy she won. Each personality is distinctly created, and comes across as its own vibrant entity. And Field's ability to instantly switch between them is astonishing. She gives a virtuosic performance.
While the contents are somewhat disturbing, the film is well worth the viewing, not only because it is a compelling story, but because it is so well told. This is a classic which holds up as well today as it did thirty years ago.
Dr. Cornelia Wilbur (Joanne Woodward), who narrates the movie, first meets Sybil Dorsett (Sally Field) in the emergency room of a New York hospital where Sybil has come after putting her hand through a window. Sybil seems a bit shaken up, and is acting strangely when suddenly, she appears to "wake up" and not know where she is or how she got there. Thus starts the journey these two women will take into Sybil's past to find out what happened to, in the words of Dr. Wilbur, "produce such a shattering," which led to Sybil's developing sixteen distinct personalities, all of which share her mind. Along the way, we meet Dr. Quinoness (Charles Lane), Sybil's childhood doctor, who lives with the guilt of remaining silent about Sybil's abuse; Sybil's father, Willard (William Prince) who blinded himself to what his wife was doing; and Sybil's mother, Hattie (Martine Bartlett), who earns the title of "monster" by abusing Sybil in an almost unimaginable way. But finding the cause of the split in personalities is only the beginning of helping Sybil to heal.
The movie is based on the book by Flora Rheta Schreiber, which was written at the request of Dr. Wilbur, and with Sybil Dorsett's consent. The script is basically faithful to the book, but some license is taken in order to make the story more dramatic. Whereas the book presents issues in a factual, almost unemotional, way, the movie gives a sense of the horror Sybil faced as a result of growing up with a mother like Hattie Dorsett. This works well in that when Sybil finally confronts what has been done to her, the audience is ready for the resulting catharsis.
The acting was excellent. Prince's portrayal of Willard is spot on as someone who will hide behind anything he can to keep from facing the truth. Bartlett is the epitome of evil malice as Hattie. Brad Davis does a nice job as a potential love interest for Sybil. Woodward's Dr. Wilbur is a stunning performance of a kind and caring psychotherapist. But the film really belongs to Field, who deserves the Emmy she won. Each personality is distinctly created, and comes across as its own vibrant entity. And Field's ability to instantly switch between them is astonishing. She gives a virtuosic performance.
While the contents are somewhat disturbing, the film is well worth the viewing, not only because it is a compelling story, but because it is so well told. This is a classic which holds up as well today as it did thirty years ago.