The Good: Fearless in its subject, Moments of humor, Generally good performances
The Bad: Moments of melodramatic performance, Very predictable romantic plot development.
The Basics: Hysteria is an informative historical romance piece that illustrates the invention of the vibrator, but does so with surprisingly little zest or intrigue.
Last month, when I finally had the pleasure to watch Like Crazy (reviewed here!), the real pleasure was witnessing the performance of Felicity Jones. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that she was in Hysteria, a film I intended to see last year! As it is, my wife and I have put off watching Hysteria so many times that I am certain that the library from which we borrowed the DVD (repeatedly) either thinks we are obsessed with the history of the vibrator or that I am some sort of right-wing nut who keeps the DVD out of circulation in order to prevent its liberal ideals from being viewed by others. As it so happens, we just have such a large stack of movies to watch and getting my wife in the mood to watch any movie is such a task that it took us about a month from when I first brought the DVD home until we found the time (last night) to actually give it our full attention.
Hysteria is a period piece, which is pretty normal for Hugh Dancy and Jonathan Pryce, who seems to be stuck in films of late where he is playing men of authority in the past (or fantasy versions of the past). This is, to the best of my knowledge, the only period piece I have seen Maggie Gyllenhaal in. It is, for certain, the only film I have ever seen regarding the invention of the electric vibrator. Entertaining with some actual historical realism, Hysteria is an intriguing film that is brought down more by its determination to provide a predictable romantic plotline than the liberties it might take with any of the history it portrays.
Opening in Westminister Hospital in London in 1880, Dr. Mortimer Granville finds himself unemployed and unemployable by the conservative medical establishment there. He stumbles into the parlor of Doctor Robert Dalrymple, a medical practitioner who is treating women for hysteria (any range of issues related to women who are irritable, sexually unsatisfied and/or unfocused as a result of sexual longings). Taken in for four pounds a week and room and board, Granville learns how to massage women to bring a release that treats their condition (essentially masturbating them with his fingers until they orgasm). After a short time, Dalrymple is so pleased with Granville that he suggests that the young man and his younger daughter, Emily, might one day marry and he could pass the practice on to them.
Granville, however, has two issues – though in good time he does ask Emily if she might be interested in the arrangement her father propositioned, despite her being a phrenologist – as he finds himself utterly confounded by Robert’s elder daughter, a social activist named Charlotte, and in great pain. As Dalrymple’s practice has expanded due to Granville’s presence, the young man spends so much time fingering women that his hand begins to seize and twist. The day he is unable to give a satisfactory performance to Mrs. Castellari, he returns to his best friend’s home where he discovers Edmund has invented a powered feather duster. The vibrations from the electrical device relax Mortimer’s hand and it is a short leap between that and the invention of the vibrator.
Hysteria muddies itself some with a romantic subplot that is one of the oddest combinations of utterly predictable and entirely unlikely. The chief romance is the somewhat arranged relationship between Emily Dalrymple and Mortimer. This relationship is forced, though the characters do seem to enjoy one another’s company. Unfortunately, the understated nature of it gives the performers little to do and Felicity Jones (Emily) and Mortimer (Hugh Dancy) exhibit no real on-screen chemistry. Conversely, Maggie Gyllenhaal (Charlotte) and Dancy, who are kept apart until the very last moments of the film seem to have great chemistry and potential for a relationship, but it is so underdeveloped in favor of the stiff, not-really-relationship of Emily and Mortimer.
The performances are generally good, though Felicity Jones, who wowed me in Like Crazy is relegated to a surprisingly boring supporting role as Emily. Similarly, Jonathan Pryce is sacrificed for the broader character arc that rules the movie and is focused on the character development of Mortimer. The acting, however, is largely competent, save the interview scene between Pryce and Dancy where the deliveries are so melodramatic as to be laughable.
Hysteria is now found on DVD with a commentary track, deleted scenes, a featurette on the making of the film and another on the development of the vibrator. These are decent bonus features that are entertaining, as well as informative. But they do nothing to improve the utterly mediocre source material.
For other works with Hugh Dancy, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Adam
Confessions Of A Shopaholic
Blood And Chocolate
Ella Enchanted
5/10
For other film reviews, please check out my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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