PsychFilmGuider Alert
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April 26, 2012: The Oscar-Winning Film THE ARTIST Reflects Signs and Symptoms of Depression, Especially in a Difficult Economy. THE ARTIST, the silent movie that received the Oscar for best picture for 2011, will be available on DVD on June 26, 2012. It has been classified as drama, romance and comedy, and yes, it is truly a psych movie. It is a well done film that can reflect for many people their experiences of recent years due to the state of the Global economy. It can be used to help people identify and understand symptoms of depression and begin a discussion of what to do about it.
The film begins in Hollywood at the end of the 1920’s. The protagonist, George Valentine, is a brilliantly talented and successful artist and a silent movie legend, as his art form is his flamboyant, exaggerated and melodramatic silent movie acting. His enormous success allows him to have a very rich life of comfort, elegance and social and professional adoration, including a marriage to an attractive silent movie actress. Although George seems to be loyal to his wife and is not intentionally hurtful, his wife seems to be experiencing certain frustrations with George’s egomaniacal behavior. The couple lives in a grand and ornate mansion filled with the finest clothing, furnishings and art, including a life-size portrait of George. They have servants. George has a very loyal chauffeur, Clifton, and a very loyal Jack Russell Terrier, Jack, who is not only a “best friend,” he is a true partner to George. In addition to enjoying Jack at home, George includes Jack in his films and other professional appearances, both on and off camera, as well as at various social events
George is at the height of his career when silent films are overwhelming replaced by talkies. George’s special talent is no longer in demand but he refuses to move on to talkies. Therefore, he experiences both a job and a career loss. After learning that the studio is switching to talkies and his art form will become obsolete the anxiety that George develops is observed via his dream that all the objects on the set make sounds and he is unable to speak or utter a sound. He awakens with a scream and in a sweat. Job loss not only affects an individual financially - it can affect one’s mental health. George experiences financial ruin because he is not bringing in a regular pay check. He then goes completely “bust” by financing his own failed silent film because he refused to let go of his silent acting career and lastly, all these circumstances coincide with the great stock market crash of 1929.
Losses continue to accumulate for George. Due to the lack of his familiar re-enforcers for his egomaniacal behavior, George begins to feel worthless. He refuses to consider “talking” roles in movies and he refuses to talk much at home. Without money, communication and social interaction George’s marriage further breaks down and his wife kicks him out of the house. George is forced to sell all his possessions and live in a small unassuming apartment with Clifton, who continues to serve George even though George has not been able to pay him for the last year, and with his dog, Jack. Eventually George fires Clifton in order to free Clifton to find paid employment.
With unemployment at record highs, this first half of the movie can be a great film for psycho-education. Seeing George’s experience can provide awareness that may prevent a steep fall like the one George has taken, and/or it can demonstrate a hopeful path back up for those that may have already hit rock bottom. Like many who have lost their job and/or their career, George experiences a depressive episode, as well as the situation’s vulnerability to heavy alcohol use along with its associated complications. This is especially true when, knowingly or unknowingly, it is used to self-medicate for depression. People with depression often believe that alcohol relieves depressive symptoms while, in fact, it exacerbates depression.
Loss of lifestyle, loss of family, loss of identity, and loss of the feeling of society’s acceptance results in depression. George exhibits classic symptoms. His mood is depressed and he appears to have lost interest in all activities as he stays in his dreary apartment most of the time. He has difficulty sleeping. He appears to have a decrease in appetite since before these losses he is shown suitably dressed for meals at home and in restaurants and since the losses he is not shown eating, just sitting in his easy chair attired in a plain white shirt and drinking. He has loss of concentration as exemplified by a close call with walking in front of a car. He expresses feelings of worthlessness and eventually has suicidal feelings and takes a gun to his head, but luckily he is interrupted. Click here to finish this article
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