Call Me Anna

I think it took a lot of guts for her to come forward like that. It is unfortunate that when a celebrity suffers that is what helps people most. But, in her case, what she did was remarkable. I have been in the mental health field for five years and I think it is great that mental illness is not a terrible word anymore and I believe she helped. I always thought she was great and always will. I am glad that she wrote this book and that the movie was made. She is a remarkable lady and I hope she continues to act. She has been through a lot and has faced it. I would really love to see her work more with children, especially child actors. Her ordeal should not have happened and I think she would be wonderful as a mentor to young people. The movie was so moving to me that I was very touched. Suffering a TBI which brought the onset of my disorder and having PTSD, it is good to know that someone has the courage enough to display her life as she did. I believe it helped this nation and people in general realize that there are others like them and that there is help. Thank you Ms. Duke, or Anna, which ever you prefer.

Patty Duke wrote an insightful, funny, rough-hewn book about her career as an actress, her crazy-quilt love-life, and her manic depressive episodes and suicide attempts which almost put her away for good. With such rich material to draw from, one would think a crack TV-director like Gilbert Cates could bring it all together on film, but "Call Me Anna" is a pale shadow of Duke's autobiography. For those who haven't read the book, the sketchy narrative (leaping forward in time) isn't absorbing, we are never allowed to get our bearings with what's happening, and the production seems stunted by a tight budget. The cast--including Duke playing herself in the latter scenes--is disappointing, and the need to steer the narrative towards Patty/Anna's ultimate diagnosis and mental freedom leaves out many opportunities for involving drama in the process. *1/2 from ****

I've got deja Vu with this movie. According to my imdb, I have never seen this movie - it's never been logged, and I don't remember watching it. But, I must have seen it sometime when I was a kid or something, because by the time they got to the scene of the man assaulting Patty, it seemed so familiar. Maybe it's because similar scenes are in other movies, but this whole movie feels like deja vu. It's so strange to feel this, while watching this film.

As for the film itself, very good. Per usual, TV movies of the '80s and '90s are excellent. I enjoyed it, and just like the movie about Joan Rivers, where Joan played herself, it's interesting to see Patty playing herself during certain parts of this movie. It must have given her a lot of deja vu dish and everything comes full circle!

Ms Patty Duke's story about her life and struggles with manic depression were just like my life struggles. I saw myself acting out just like her. I was so amazed at the similarities of our lives to include the sexual abuse that we both endured as children.

I saw the movie when it first premiered in 1990 and I have loved this movie so much. Anyone who has struggled with manic depression could get so much from this movie. Never mind about if it showed her awards or what they were for. That is not the issue here. The issue is how Ms Duke had an illness and fought to survive it and overcame. Ms. Duke has much to be proud of in her accomplishments with her struggles for survival of a disease that often leaves many victims without hope.

Unless a person has struggled with this illness personally they don't know the hell they have to live with. The movie to me was a success because it showed the real issues and how a person who is depressed and manic acts. It was so real...so, so, real. It was like watching myself up there on screen.

I wish I could thank Ms. Patty Duke in person for having the courage to let the public know about her illness. Bocka

I don't know if she knew the impact this had. On many people. The fact that Patty Duke went public with her life is an incredibly astounding concept. The private battle we sometimes go through with our lives is made easier by knowing that others have experienced what we have: that we are not alone. The brilliant talent she posseses in her acting only reflects the beauty courage and strength she had to have, and obviously did. I am only one person this story has probably impacted. One person of many. I have the same struggle in my life and have for twenty years. I want to meet Patty Duke, an aspiration.