NARRATOR: At the turn of the twentieth century, Sigmund Freud and his followers were discovering the significance of talking about one's emotional distress as a way of working through it. The goal of this technique was to locate and release powerful emotions that had been rejected or repressed in the unconscious mind. Carl Jung used this treatment on his patient, Sabina Spielrein, situating himself behind her so that she could not see his face. This was for the benefit of his patient, who would not be able to monitor his reactions as potential judgments. This came to be known as the “talking cure," which is wildly regarded as the basis of psychoanalysis.
SABINA SPIELREIN: Last night, it suddenly whispered something in my ear. I couldn't hear what. And... And then... [OUT OF CHARACTER:] Barrage of tics? Would you like me to try some out?
DAVID CRONENBERG: Why not?
SABINA SPIELREIN: Last New Year's Day, he flew into a terrible rage, and he took my brother, Isaac... And... And he beat... he beat him in front of everyone. And then I...
CARL JUNG: We've talked a lot about these outbursts of your father's. There were times, weren't there, when he did beat you?
SABINA SPIELREIN: [WHISPERS] Yes. I liked it.
CARL JUNG: Would you repeat that, please? I couldn't quite hear.
SABINA SPIELREIN: I liked it. Before long, he only had to tell me to go to the little room and I would... start getting wet.
DAVID CRONENBERG: You are obviously...
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Mental.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Good.
DAVID CRONENBERG: So, yeah, obviously, you can't move out of those chairs. So... And I think this position is really quite good. It's non traditional. I think the tics are... These are not tics, you are becoming a demonic creature.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Weird creature.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah. And I say, let's go for it.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Wicked.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Completely.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: O.K.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Peter and I have to just figure out the specifics of shooting it. To get all the good stuff out of it.
PETER SUSCHITZKY: I don't think we can get much wider than this. Because of the wall. And, last question... the window.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Let's say it's green screened.
PETER SUSCHITZKY: We don't see it all the time.
DAVID CRONENBERG: No.
PETER SUSCHITZKY: We see it some of the time.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah.
MF: It's a mad patient against the window.
DAVID CRONENBERG: So, would you rather have...
PETER SUSCHITZKY: Something like that...
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: It's your wife. "What are you doing?!"
CREW MEMBER: O.K., let's bring in final touches.
DAVID CRONENBERG: We've got two questions... Is it better on this side or this side? I’m not worried about actors at all obviously. And we have the green screen behind her at all times. Money running out. Take a look. I'm thinking of the expressiveness of Keira's face. This you can see more of it from there.
PETER SUSCHITZKY: Yeah. O.K.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Good to go, Peter?
PETER SUSCHITZKY: Yes.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: I think I was wrong about where the tic should go. I have to get it before 'beat' because 'beat' is the trigger word.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah. I think you're right.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Cool.
[MUMBLING LINES]
[BACKGROUND NOISES]
DAVID CRONENBERG: So, I think we should begin this, Michael, with the "Were you naked?" because it just gives you a run into it.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: That'd be great.
CREW MEMBER: Alright, nice and quiet, everyone, please.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: My hands ended up up, didn't they? Were my hands up?
CREW MEMBER: Yes.
CREW MEMBER: Close to your mouth.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Oh, close to my mouth.
CREW MEMBER: Yes.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: O.K.
CREW MEMBER: Here we go.
CREW MEMBER: And...
All sound, please.
CREW MEMBER: Rolling.
CREW MEMBER: Forty four, take one, scene four nineteen.
CREW MEMBER: Set.
Action.
CARL JUNG: Were you naked?
SABINA SPIELREIN: Yes.
CARL JUNG: Were you masturbating?
SABINA SPIELREIN:Yes.
Last New Year's Day, he flew into a terrible rage, no one could understand why. He took... my brother Isaac, and… [STRUGGLING] And beat him in front of everyone. And...
CREW MEMBER: Cut.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Great.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Yeah?
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yeah. I have no notes.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Bring it down?
DAVID CRONENBERG: I don't think so.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: I don't think you can, can you?
DAVID CRONENBERG: It's one thing if you have a patient who is talking and is relatively calm, but when you have someone who's facial distortions and movements and everything are really a major part of how they're expressing themselves, it's quite odd that you would say, "Yeah, I'm gonna sit behind you, and not look at you."
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Yeah.
DAVID CRONENBERG: "Because I want you to not notice me." But it's odd.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: Yeah, it's weird.
DAVID CRONENBERG: And this really shows that up. I think in a terrific, interesting way, but, you know?
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: That's what I was thinking about - how this sort of, you know, how much it's expressing itself physically.
DAVID CRONENBERG: Yes!
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: That's a major component of it.
DAVID CRONENBERG: That's why I wanna shoot from here, because you'll see some of it. I basically want to see your point of view of her. Yeah. I really think that where Michael's... Right where he's sitting is the best angle.
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: Do you want me to operate that, yeah?
PETER SUSCHITZKY: Yeah! Please! [LAUGHTER]
MICHAEL FASSBENDER: Good.
CARL JUNG: That first time, how did you feel about what was happening?
Would you repeat that, please? I couldn't quite hear.
SABINA SPIELREIN: I liked it. It excited me. [WHISPERS] There's no hope for me. I'm vile... and... filthy and... corrupt. I must... I must never be let out of here.
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© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
© Recorded Picture Company, 2011
