Sybil

I'll be watching the remake of Sybil tonight on Lifetime. Sybil is based on a true story, and it's about a psychiatrist who treated a young woman with multiple personality disorder, which developed as a result of childhood trauma at the hands of her mentally-ill mother. I saw and taped the uncut 1976 version a few years ago, the one that got Sally Field her first Emmy.

The 1976 version talked quite a bit about Sybil's religious upbringing. "We can't do that on the Sabbath." "I can't kiss you, since I'd have to confess that before the entire church." "The end is near!" It turns out the real Sybil grew up in the Seventh-Day Adventist church! The first and third lines fit the church quite well, but I don't remember any kids or adults having to confess their sins before the congregation. Heck, I don't recall meeting any psychopathic child abusers either, but they may be in a lot of places!

The 1976 version focused a lot on Sybil, both her background and her attempt to cope with her mental illness. One disappointing part of the movie was when the guy she was dating left her. He was pursuing her, since you've got to admit that Sally Field was (and is) kind of cute, and she drew upon one of her more secure personalities to get through their first date. I was hoping that this guy was a keeper, someone who would stick by Sybil through thick and thin. But when he found out that Sybil had multiple personality disorder, he and his son were gone from their apartment the next morning! I guess his reaction was understandable, but I expected more from him than that.

The uncut version was on Oxygen, and it had scenes that many have not seen. At the end, the psychiatrist gets into Sybil's head and meets all of her personalities. Basically, the psychiatrist is in a meadow, and all of the personalities are little kids. She meets the tough one, and the elegant one who is the leader and guardian of all the rest. Finally, she meets the most hurt and troubled one. When she hugs and comforts that one for a long period of time, that meant that Sybil was on the path to healing.

When I first watched that scene, I thought, "Man, this movie is dragging on and on! How many more minutes do we have?" In retrospect, I can appreciate that scene a lot more, since I can somehow admire or sympathize with the personalities, even though they weren't exactly real people.

The version on tonight seems to focus more on the psychiatrist and how she placed her career on the line in her attempt to help Sybil. It is also only two hours, which critics note as a weakness of the film, since the viewer may feel jerked around. The 1976 version was two parts over two nights, so it allowed viewers to get to know the characters and appreciate Sybil's personalities.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, the 1976 one got Sally Field her first Emmy. Before Sybil, Sally Field played comedic roles (i.e., Gidget, the Flying Nun), and she wanted to pursue more serious work and avoid being typecast as a "bimbo." So she underwent coaching, and she succeeded in her goal through a lot of hard work. Her Emmy was well-deserved! I doubt that the lady playing Sybil tonight will fill Sally Field's shoes, even though she'll probably do a good job. It will be something to see!