Sybil (1976)

Joanne Woodward: Dr. Cornelia Wilbur

Quotes 

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : [Hugging Sybil]  Once a long time ago when I was a little girl in Montana, I was laying in the grass looking at the ants. And the sun was warm on my back and the grass was deep and soft and the insects were buzzing... everything was drowsy. Then all of a sudden, I saw this one ant who was struggling to pick up this grain of sand that was far too heavy to carry alone. And he struggled. And pretty soon, ANOTHER ant came along and helped the first ant and together they carried it away! Well, I got so excited that I hollared to my mother and she came out and plopped down in the grass beside me and she said, now isn't that miraculous how much two creatures can accomplish together... when they care about each other.

• [last lines] 

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : In accepting Peggy into her arms, Sybil began the deepest healing of her selves. In embracing Peggy, she embraced herself. In calming her, she was calming her own heart. As I watched her becoming mother to herself, I felt my own long motherhood ending. I released what I had held so long. I celebrated the beginning of her emancipation. I let go. Our work together lasted eleven years. Today, Sybil lives peacefully in a small college town where she's a professor of art. There's not enough time in the day for her to do everything she wants, but that time in every sense, is her own. She tells me she's happy. I know she's free.

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : What the hell did that monster do to you?

  [Sybil is curled up in the corner sucking her thumb] 

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : What happened in the green kitchen?

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Sybil has disassociated into a baby. I can't get her back!

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : [in bed; the phone rings; sleepily]  Yeah. Who? Vicky, who? Well, it better be an emergency for "Just Vicky" at 3:00 in the morning.

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : I'm going to let you hear yourself play the piano.

  Sybil : I can't play the piano anymore. I used to play. I can't play it anymore.

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Well, this is a part of you that calls herself Vanessa, and she can. She plays beautifully.

• Sybil : What if I can't cook dinner for Richard. I'm so worried about being embarrassed.

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : You're protected, Sweety. Vicky wouldn't let you be embarrassed. She'll call on one of the others. Vanessa's more comfortable with Richard than you are.

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Sybil, everything you care about survives in those parts of you that your mother wasn't able to reach. Your music, your painting, even your ability to love.

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Is it fun talking like a little girl, Ms. Dorsett?

• Sybil : [as Vicky]  What's love?

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Sweety, don't you know?

  Sybil : [as Vicky]  No I don't. Please tell. We all want to know. All of us.

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Who's "all of us"?

  Sybil : [as Vicky]  Everybody that lives with Sybil.

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Who are the others, Vicky? Are there more besides you and then Sybil and Peggy?

• Sybil : How do you know these things? I don't tell you them. And who does those drawings?

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : You do. But you do them as other people. Do you understand. You do them as other parts of yourself.

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Throughout most of the analysis, I've been talking to you through them. They all have names and they protect you. They keep your appointments and they're the ones who pour out this information that you're afraid to face.

• Sybil : [as Peggy]  I don't find happiness anywhere.

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : We'll find it, Peggy. It just got lost someplace.

• Sybil : [as Vanessa]  One time, we went to the park, you know, because we were gonna play catch, and one of the boys came out because he wanted to play catch and Richard thought it was me, so he went over to Mike and kissed him smack dab on the lips. He went "Mmwa" and Mike went "Bleah".

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Wait a minute. Do you mean some of the others are boys?

  Sybil : [as Vanessa]  I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Now Vicky's gonna be mad at me.

• Sybil Dorsett : [singing]  In your easter bonnet with all the frills upon it. I'll be the grandest fellow in the easter parade. Fifth avenue... uh-ah, uh-ah. Fifth avenue... uh-ah, uh-ah...

  [slumps down and begins crying like a child] 

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Vanessa, what's the matter?

  Sybil Dorsett : [in Peggy's voice]  I'm not Vanessa!

  Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : I'm sorry, Peggy, but you popped out so fast.

• Dr. Cornelia Wilbur : Curiosity didn't tear the cat's head off, Sweetie.