The Comical Behind the Clinical

Three Cinematographic figures

Abstract

This paper examines three distinct cinematographic representations to demonstrate how comedy often masks underlying mental illness and its treatment. The first is a commercial produced by a renowned Italian fashion brand and directed by Roman Polanski, presenting a humorous take on a psychoanalytic session. The second is David Lynch’s film, “The Elephant Man,” a biographical portrayal of Joseph Merrick, a British man afflicted by a rare and severe physical deformity. Finally, I explore Charlie Chaplin’s iconic silent film, “The Vagabond.” In the first figure, I delve into how comedic elements can be emphasized when psychoanalysis is stripped down to its core components, drawing parallels between Freud’s notion of the subconscious and Georges Bataille’s essay, “The Big Toe.” Transitioning to the second figure, I uncover a hidden historical link between freak shows and the early development of psychiatry, illuminating a nuanced perspective on societal perceptions of mental illness. In the final figure, I analyze the portrayal of extravagant behaviors in schizophrenic individuals, drawing from Henri Bergson’s theory of the comical in gestures and movements, as outlined in his seminal work, “Laughter”, and particularly evident in silent films like Charlie Chaplin’s The Vagabond.