People like ourselves

"The stigmatization of mental illness in film is well documented. Little has been written, however, about the ability of movies to portray mental illness sympathetically and accurately. People Like Ourselves: Portrayals of Mental Illness in the Movies fills that void by closely examining mental illness in more than seventy American movies, beginning with classics such as The Snake Pit and Now, Voyager and including contemporary successes such as A Beautiful Mind and As Good as It Gets. Zimmerman argues that these ground-breaking films defy stereotypes, presenting sympathetic portraits of people who are mentally ill, while at the same time advancing the moviegoing public's understanding of mental illness and providing insight into its causes, diagnosis, and treatment. More importantly, the films portray mentally ill people as ordinary people with conflicts and desires common to everyone. Like the motion pictures it examines, this fascinating book offers both insight and entertainment."--Jacket.