Sybil (1976 film)
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Sybil
Joanne Woodward
Sybil is a 1976 drama film that originally aired as a made-for-television miniseries.
[edit] The film
Sally Field starred in the title role, with Joanne Woodward playing the part of Sybil's psychiatrist, Cornelia B. Wilbur. Based on the book Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber, the movie dramatizes the life of a shy young graduate student, Sybil Dorsett (in real life, Shirley Ardell Mason), suffering from dissociative identity disorder as a result of the psychological trauma she suffered as a child. With the help of her psychiatrist, Sybil gradually recalls the harrowing childhood abuse that led to the development of 16 different personalities, including some which made her appear psychotic, and even one that made her want to kill herself. Sally Field's portrayal of Sybil won much critical acclaim, as well as an Emmy Award.
The film, originally 198 minutes long, was initially shown over the course of two nights on NBC in 1976. Due to high public interest, the VHS version of Sybil, released in the 1980's, was edited, with one version running 122 minutes and another, extended version running 132 minutes. Several key scenes, including Sybil's final climactic "introduction" to each of her 16 selves, are missing in both versions. The film is shown frequently on television, often with scenes restored or deleted to adjust for time constraints and the varying sensitivity of viewers.
