A Dangerous Method

A Dangerous Method

A Dangerous Method was nothing short of intriguing and moving. It was a film based on psychoanalysis and the careers of some of its most well-known practitioners, Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, Sabina Spielrein, and Otto Gross. I feel that each one of these characters was well played. Each one helped to put the viewer there with them and understand each circumstance clearly. This movie truly displays the reality of what can happen even in such a professional field.

While in class, some of these topics can blend together and not really catch my full attention. Since watching this movie the names Carl Jung, Sabina Spielrein, and Sigmond Freud have stuck in my memory. This movie helped me to understand Freud and Jung’s friendship. I found their differences rather interesting. It seemed to me that Jung was more open to other theories and explanations behind human behavior while Freud seemed very much so stuck in a box with his way of thinking. He would not budge. He wanted to stay on track because it was best for their reputation and their credibility. All while Jung had believed that there was much more to it than Freud had thought.

The relationship between Jung and Sabina was intriguing to say the least. In the beginning of the movie Sabina was having physical ticks and outbursts, also what seemed to me to be hysterical episodes. The movie takes a turn when we find out the root of Sabina’s issues. The fact that her Father was severely abusive to her was bad enough, and then we find out that she liked it and it excited her! This was discovered by Jung’s talking method. This signified the beginning of a whole different and affective method of therapy. Also, after these discoveries were made about Sabina, she seemed to make great progress and calm down. She started school to become a psychologist. Jung and Sabina began working closely with each other and shared ideas and theories. While Sabina moved away to Vienna Jung and Sabina started to have an affair. Carl Jung was married and had children but gave in to his temptations with Sabina. Otto Gross planted the seed in Jung’s head that not only was it O.K. to give in to sexual temptation but unhealthy not to. This affair was both intense and exciting for the viewer.

This affair crossed so many boundaries. Carl Jung was married with children and still gave in to his temptations. This affair also grew into something deeper between the two of them. They began to love each other and Jung found himself stuck within his feelings. Not only was this wrong because he was being unfaithful to his wife it was extremely unprofessional. The fact that Sabina was his patient was nothing short of unacceptable. To me, the two should have known better than to think this secret relationship they had would last. Because Jung was Sabina’s therapist, he knew her issues that she was battling. Even though Jung knew these issues he still proceeded to have sex with her in a way that fed her issues. This caused Sabina to become obsessed with him, and when he tried to cut off the relationship, she cut his face in his office. All of this could’ve been avoided if the both of them respected their relationships.

Otto Gross came to Carl Jung as a patient but was also a therapist. He had very different views than Jung and Freud. Like I said earlier he believed that monogamy was unrealistic and as human beings it is unhealthy to act on our sexual urges or desires. He had sex with most of his female patients and was proud of it. This topic in particular is one that got under my skin the most. I disagree with his theory. For one, as human beings in this day in age, we would be spreading diseases left and right if we just had sex with whoever we desired in that moment. More than we are already. Not only would we be putting our health at risk, there would be another baby boom, and even more failed marriages. It was clear that Gross made Jung feel more comfortable with his urges regarding Sabina which led to nothing but negative effects. Sex is something sacred that should be shared between two people who have love for each other and kept between them. When these boundaries are crossed it leads to heartbreak and hurt to innocent people as well.

All in all, this film was a great story about Feud and Jung’s journeys. It helped me to understand their viewpoints better, and understand their relationship. It was also amazing for me to see the transformation of Sabina. She went from a troubled hysterical individual, to a studious, more controlled and calm person. It showed how effective the talking method is. It can help heal people and come face to face with their issues and face them head on. This film also helped me to understand how narrow minded Freud was for a psychoanalysist. This movie was excellent and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in psychology. It was very interesting.