The Stepford Wives : Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

All the best scenes are in the last quarter of the movie, the only section writer Goldman claims director Forbes didn't have time to rewrite. And this is one of them.

There is so much reality to this scene. It looks, sounds, and feels like real life. I seriously have trouble believing that woman is an actress and not a real therapist. She nailed it, talking and acting like the real thing. We feel genuine empathy, intelligence, and understanding from her, with none of the clinical, cold, authoritative, jargon-spewing BS of the Tinsel Town stereotype. And then surprise she actually believes Joanna! And her belief is believable. That's the whole point of thrillers like this: making the imposible believable. This scene shows how it's done.

If this is indeed Goldman's unretouched work, he should stand proud.

The dead rat shot that precedes makes a fitting and effective portent of what is to come.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

Yes, this scene in particular gives me chills. This is the first time Joanna says out loud that what she fears is happening will result in her death. She can hear how insane she sounds, but terror drives her to try and explain it to seek help. She seems desperate but powerless to make the psychiatrist understand what she doesn't even understand. And she doesn't make sense to the psychiatrist, but Joanna's display of raw panic and dread alarm the psychiatrist enough to convince her that Joanna is in some kind of serious danger. I feel such an impending sense of certain doom and tragedy from that scene that it almost feels like she's already dead.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

It is an amazing scene. Carol Rosen is the actress who plays the therapist.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

I agree that this is a powerful scene. It's where Joanna first says out loud what all the little and big clues have been spelling out for her (and the audience) all along. The fact that the Doctor believes her and appears afraid for her makes the audience fear for Joanna's safety all the more. Excellent played by both actresses.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

I'm so glad to see this mentioned here. That scene left an impression on me for most of my life. Brilliantly executed shot of silence between the two women left the audience with a false hope and a feeling of definite dread. I'm still horribly appealed at the Kidman remake of this film.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

appealed or appalled?

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

haha, thanks MuMu for seeing my typo - I think it must have been auto-correct.

DEFINITELY APPALLED!!!

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

Yes, that remake was a travesty.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

She creeped me out with her vacant pauses, I thought at first she might have been a robot working with the Men's Association.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

Does anyone think the psychiatrist is part of the conspiracy? I would hope not. But I have seen a snippet in a book titled, Psychiatry and the cinema. It mentions the S. Wives. It says that a female psychiatrist seems to be part of a conspiracy to replace the women in a small Connecticut town.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

I don't think so. I think this is a woman JoAnna found herself, rather than taking the suggestions of Walter.

And I recall hearing her tell JoAnna to "Get the hell out" of Stepford and also getting a chill out of it. She was very sincere.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

No. The woman doesn't even live in Stepford. She says that Joanna has come a long way to see her.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

One of my all-time favourite scenes. A credit to both actresses for making it so realistic and so chilling. I think it's more powerful (and sad) than the ending because you realize this is the last person Joanna will make a connection with and she is in critical danger.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

Unfortunately, the psychiatrist for all intents and purposes killed her by telling her to go back for her children. There was no evidence that the children were in any immediate danger. She should have said stay here. Get a lawyer. Get a private detective. Talk to any policeman who will listen to you. For the moment, focus on preserving your own safety. Worry about the children later.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

I think Joanna would have gone back to get her children regardless. There are not many mothers who would leave their kids behind like thatyou saw what she did to Walter with that poker, ouch

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

The moment when the psychiatrists launches off her chair, kneels at Ross's feet, takes her arms and tells her to get her children and run as far and as fast as she can . . . it is chilling and brilliant! It's a stunner. Because she understood Ross really did have something to fear.


Life can be arbitrary and comes without a warranty.

the silence

the part where Joanna stops talking and the psychiatrist gets her to talk.is just riveting and beautiful.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

Well spotted, this. Yes, splendid and wonderful Psychologist / Psychiatrist depictions. The doctor is a real life-and-blood human person, not a cardboard cookie-cutter sterile being.

Excellent point, and this thread is a heartening and insightful exchange.

thanks.

(By the way, last month i was at the glorious Lockwood Mathews Mansion (castle) that was the "Men's Association was filmed (inside and outside) - in Norwalk Connecticut. If you are ever there (it's near Stamford CT), it's highly recommended!)

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History

If the psychiatrist knew that Joanna would be in mortal danger when she returned to Stepford, why did she let her leave.

Re: Best Psychiatrist Scene in Movie History


If the psychiatrist knew that Joanna would be in mortal danger when she returned to Stepford, why did she let her leave.

I wondered that too.
That's like sending a woman into a cave of hungry lions! If the doctor truly believed, why did she instruct her to GO BACK to where she was in horrific danger??

Maybe she believed that Joanna would go back for her kids, no matter what she advised.
But still. I would have told her at least to not go back alone.




I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush.
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