Dancing in the Dark

A very much underrated film, I found myself absolutely glued to the television set. Funnily enough, although I am a man, I found myself identifying with the woman, beautifully portrayed by Victoria Principle. Maybe this is because I have suffered from mental illness myself and know some of the hideous things that can go on in mental institutions. This is not a film made simply to entertain, so if that's all you're after you'd be better off watching Tom & Jerry. The story might seem implausible but is supposed to be based on true events. There is a very strong message that the film delivers, namely that however inconceivable a person's story, sometimes it may be true, and that the person that you most admire may in fact be a liar. To disbelieve someone who is telling the truth, simply because it goes against the grain, is a terrible injustice. A deep but brilliant and highly moving film.

Watching this film makes you wonder what they could have made of it were it not a cheap TV movie. The rough plot of: woman gets assaulted by father-in-law, develops depressive tendencies, gets put in hospital for her "protection and treatment" and is kept there and "tortured" for quite a while!!, : is midly engaging but the sensationalist treatment of the subject leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Occasionally breaking into farce, where the hospital orderlies set upon the "heroine" with an almost sadistic sneer on their lips. Fear is the only reaction that the makers were looking for.

Having had some second hand "experience" of this type of mental illness, I can tell you that this would be a realistic film were the human race starring in a cheap, sensational, "made for TV" movie.

For a really thought-provoking take on the treatment of mental illness watch "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" and one of the few real-life films made about enforced incarceration.

I liked this movie very much.I just finished watching it tonight, but had seen half of it on TV before, so I got the DVD copy of it. I don't think Victoria Principal gets much credit for her acting and I hadn't seen her in a movie before and I was surprised how good she was in this movie. The movie is based on a true story and its hard to believe that such things can happen. Principal plays the part of Anna, the wife of a lawyer who won't believe what she tells him about someone else (can't give the plot away). I could identify with Anna's total frustration with her husband not believing her. It would drive me crazy too. Anna ends up having a breakdown and is forced into a psychiatric ward where she is treated badly and being there makes her more ill than when she first went in. Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci's Inquest on Canadian TV) plays the part of the sympathetic and compassionate husband but in the beginning he is not supportive of his wife because he doesn't want to believe her. His acting is top rate and he is convincing. plays his part very well.

Robert Vaughn and Kenneth Welsh also show some excellent acting. An under-rated movie. If you like this kind of movie, get it if you can.