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5.7/10
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In 1887, 23-year-old reporter Nellie Bly, working for Joseph Pulitzer, feigns mental illness to go undercover in notorious Blackwell's Island, a mental institution for women, to expose corru... Read allIn 1887, 23-year-old reporter Nellie Bly, working for Joseph Pulitzer, feigns mental illness to go undercover in notorious Blackwell's Island, a mental institution for women, to expose corruption, abuse, and murder.In 1887, 23-year-old reporter Nellie Bly, working for Joseph Pulitzer, feigns mental illness to go undercover in notorious Blackwell's Island, a mental institution for women, to expose corruption, abuse, and murder.
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I've read the reviews written before writing my own, and I'm astonished by the low ratings and the reasons for that.
I didn't know the story, didn't know (anything about) Nellie Bly. But the movie showed all it had to.
The movie might not be of the best quality, you might expect more given all the digital techniques these days. But I kind of appreciate it, because it accentuates the time these things actually did happen.
I've seen reviews which said that Christopher Lambert seemed to be there mostly to give the movie 1 known actor, and that Caroline Barry did not such a great job at playing faking a mental illness. I don't agree on both statements.
Lambert hadn't the main role, he simply had the role of the main physician. He showed a man who, I think honestly, tried to figure out how to help his patients, but got terribly confused about what's right and wrong in how to realize that. Which has been sort of "good practice" for a pretty long time in medicine...
Barry played the main role, a woman who acts being mentally ill, in a time people hardly understood what mentally ill meant. Today's psychiatrist en psychologist would definitely not fall for the show she put on. We won't either. But back than? Don't forget, it's incredibly hard to fake a mental illness with our current knowledge, back than she could very well succeed with what Barry showed us on screen. Mainly because that was what a lot of men those days would expect from a mentally ill woman.
It is precisely that, what makes this movie a very catchy story that won't let go of you until the end. As a viewer I felt the unease, the emotions, the pressure, like it was choking me.
I didn't know the story, didn't know (anything about) Nellie Bly. But the movie showed all it had to.
The movie might not be of the best quality, you might expect more given all the digital techniques these days. But I kind of appreciate it, because it accentuates the time these things actually did happen.
I've seen reviews which said that Christopher Lambert seemed to be there mostly to give the movie 1 known actor, and that Caroline Barry did not such a great job at playing faking a mental illness. I don't agree on both statements.
Lambert hadn't the main role, he simply had the role of the main physician. He showed a man who, I think honestly, tried to figure out how to help his patients, but got terribly confused about what's right and wrong in how to realize that. Which has been sort of "good practice" for a pretty long time in medicine...
Barry played the main role, a woman who acts being mentally ill, in a time people hardly understood what mentally ill meant. Today's psychiatrist en psychologist would definitely not fall for the show she put on. We won't either. But back than? Don't forget, it's incredibly hard to fake a mental illness with our current knowledge, back than she could very well succeed with what Barry showed us on screen. Mainly because that was what a lot of men those days would expect from a mentally ill woman.
It is precisely that, what makes this movie a very catchy story that won't let go of you until the end. As a viewer I felt the unease, the emotions, the pressure, like it was choking me.
Wonderful storyline, but woefully underwhelming from an acting and screenplay/dialogue standpoint. Watching the "actors" converse in this movie was painful at times and reminds one of a film school project more than a serious picture.
I've always trusted IMDb to be a good judge of films to watch. My personal experience has been that movies rated 6 or higher are typically very good movies so long as the content is to your tastes. That has changed for me over the past year or so though. I will take future IMDb ratings with a grain of salt.
Having never written a review of a movie on IMDb before I was motivated due to two rather unusual ones from profiles only ever reviewing this movie. . . . .and giving a bad review. So, while it does betray its roots as a low budget movie the story was indeed pretty good. Definitely worth watching through to the end as the topic will certainly make you question what you believe about institutions for mental health.
After reading Nellie Bly's article, 10 Days in a Madhouse, I was pleased to find out there was a movie to be made about it. I finally had the chance to see the movie and I can truly say that I enjoyed it.
While the CGI effects may be sub-par to what we as an audience are used to, it does not take away from the film itself. The story is solid and the emotions it invokes are real.
Caroline Barry is fantastic as Nellie Bly. I feel that her portrayal was spot-on and was intrigued by her from the start. She brings Nellie Bly to life and you find yourself cheering her on as she goes forth on her mission.
10 Days in a Madhouse not afraid to explore the mistreatment of the women in the asylum. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the film covers almost all of what was in the article. To see what these poor women went through was sobering and also anger-inducing. It makes me angry to think that these women were left there to be mistreated until they more than likely died.
It might not be the greatest film in the world nor do I think it will be winning an Oscar any time soon. While being a little rough around the edges, I think it was still great, powerful and moving overall.
While the CGI effects may be sub-par to what we as an audience are used to, it does not take away from the film itself. The story is solid and the emotions it invokes are real.
Caroline Barry is fantastic as Nellie Bly. I feel that her portrayal was spot-on and was intrigued by her from the start. She brings Nellie Bly to life and you find yourself cheering her on as she goes forth on her mission.
10 Days in a Madhouse not afraid to explore the mistreatment of the women in the asylum. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the film covers almost all of what was in the article. To see what these poor women went through was sobering and also anger-inducing. It makes me angry to think that these women were left there to be mistreated until they more than likely died.
It might not be the greatest film in the world nor do I think it will be winning an Oscar any time soon. While being a little rough around the edges, I think it was still great, powerful and moving overall.
This movie could have been fantastic. Unfortunately for production, bad direction and horrible acting made a good story into a horrible movie. So disappointing. Didn't even recognize Kelly Lebrock as she has had so much plastic surgery.
Did you know
- TriviaLargely filmed in Salem, Oregon, where Vol au-dessus d'un nid de coucou (1975), another film about the institutional care of the mentally ill, was also filmed. Principle photography took place at the Fairview Training Center, a facility built in the early 1900s for the care of those with cognitive disabilities.
- GoofsWomen of this period, especially women confined in mental hospitals, would not have shaved their armpits or legs.
- Quotes
Nellie Bly: If you give up now, the good may come along and you will not know it.
- Crazy credits[Placed before & above the CAST list] Research for this film was drawn in part from the book by Brooke Kroeger, Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist.
- How long is 10 Days in a Madhouse?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $100,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $14,616
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,773
- Nov 15, 2015
- Gross worldwide
- $14,616
- Runtime
- 1h 51m(111 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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