I saw this film 40 years ago and see that no VHS is available,
which is a pity. It is much better than "The Young Freud" which has
recently been showing on PBS. It captures in some depth the
creativity and uniqueness of Freud's early discoveries, which were
amplified by him and others throughout the 20th century and into
the 21st. We see him doggedly and devotedly looking for the root
causes of a psychological illness which masqueraded as a
physical (neurological) illness for centuries. His discoveries,
stemming from this time, have greatly influenced modern thinking,
such that we call our times "The Age of Anxiety." They have led to
the appreciation of childhood sexuality and abuse and have taken
psychological abuse out from under the carpet, where these
pivotal events have been hidden for centuries. Freud was able to
see the classic appeal of the Greek tragedies and interpret why
they retain their power and are performed today, 3000 years later!
which is a pity. It is much better than "The Young Freud" which has
recently been showing on PBS. It captures in some depth the
creativity and uniqueness of Freud's early discoveries, which were
amplified by him and others throughout the 20th century and into
the 21st. We see him doggedly and devotedly looking for the root
causes of a psychological illness which masqueraded as a
physical (neurological) illness for centuries. His discoveries,
stemming from this time, have greatly influenced modern thinking,
such that we call our times "The Age of Anxiety." They have led to
the appreciation of childhood sexuality and abuse and have taken
psychological abuse out from under the carpet, where these
pivotal events have been hidden for centuries. Freud was able to
see the classic appeal of the Greek tragedies and interpret why
they retain their power and are performed today, 3000 years later!