David et Lisa

how could this film only rate a 6.9 on imdb? this film is incredibly poignant and well done, from the fantastic story to the wonderful performances to the gorgeous black and white cinematography. there just aren't that many films out there that are this good. maybe the subject material of teenage mental illness is just too difficult for some or some people today can't relate to the characters who seem very different from today's teenagers. it is a rare thing to experience a movie that evokes such deep feelings from its audience. Frank and Eleanor Perry, this film's director and writer (and husband and wife team) had a penchant for disturbing, emotional conflicts. this film started their careers and was Oscar-nominated for both its direction and its screenplay. in our own way we are like these lost children, finding our way to the best start we can make in life.

Frank Perry's incredibly poignant drama about a psycho-neurotic young man named David, remarkably played by the handsome Keir Dullea, who is send to a private mental institution for emotionally disturbed teens by his parents. David has a great fear of being touched by anyone, he literally thinks he will die if touched, and is extremely resistant to forming friendships. He is also obsessed by clocks and time. While at the facility David meets Lisa, marvelously played by the beautiful Janet Margolin, a young schizophrenic girl who speaks in rhymes and is disassociated from reality. David who is antagonistic to everyone else, treats Lisa with mild compassion and caring and soon an odd romance begins when these two troubled youngsters realized that they can each help each. Brilliant direction by Perry in his directorial debut, which along with his engrossing screenplay earned him Oscar nominations. Gorgeous black & white cinematography by Leonard Hirschfield, and wonderful supporting performances by Howard Da Silva, Nava Patterson, Clifton Jones, Richard McMurray, Karen Gorney and Jaime Sanchez. One of the finest films ever made about mental illness.

Although I viewed this film over 40 years ago, it still comes back to my mind from time to time. It packs an emotional punch that is rarely seen in cinema today. The young Keir Dullea gives a very convincing performance as a highly intelligent, but mentally disturbed young man. The cinematography is excellent, burning images into the mind that are still there 40 years later. I recommend this film highly to anyone interested in the cinematic art, as well as those who enjoy a strong story. The fact that the film was shot in black and white is a definite plus. It tends to accentuate the starkness of David's world and subliminally takes the viewer into a world of absolutes, where shades of gray have no place.

This is my favorite movie from the 1960's and there were a number of outstanding black and white films made during this period such as "The Balcony", "Children's Hour", "The Mark", and "The Pawnbroker". David and Lisa was a low budget film with outstanding acting. It's worth seeing.

"David and Lisa" is a well-made, beautifully photographed film from the early 1960's. It tells the very unusual love story between two people with extreme eccentricities. I am still uncertain, considering the year in question, whether they are supposed to be mentally ill or merely "troubled teens". Keir Dullea (better known, to me, in "2001") was hardly 17, but at 25 or 26 at the time, his performance and the whole material more than compensated for the obvious adult in the role. The independently produced film comes at the beginning of a long string of films dealing with mental issues. This one reminded me mostly of "Splendor in the Grass"--or at least the last half of that film. The cinematography is like one Ansel Adams photo after another. Do yourself a favor and watch this film!