cutting edge: brian’s story

(2001, 53:18min)

Brian Davis had a successful career in advertising journalism once; the documentary begins with him homeless in London, drunk and asking mates for money so that he can go to Paris to interview Roman Polanski. His rather rah English accent descended frequently into streams of invective. Brian, of course, is bipolar (mostly untreated) and alcoholic, poor chap. He scored 150 quid and literally ran to the Turk’s Head in Soho to drink it all. So much for Paris.

(Here be spoilers. Many spoilers. Actually, all the spoilers.)

West 47th Street

I ain’t goin’ in no crazy-cage! (Fitzroy)

(2001) – mentally ill & homeless in NYC. (1:23:59) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4xYoFcVAyE

I remember seeing this ages ago and I’m glad to have tripped over it again. The documentary, or cinema veritè if you prefer, is centred around Fountain House (psychosocial rehab), in its 50th year. I remember Esther from the first time I saw this, a stern, no nonsense woman. “It will not rain,” she said, about the weather forecast for a funding event – and of course it didn’t. I remembered this too and I think it can be applied to a far broader scope than people in treatment.

You’ll find people here a little sicker than you; that’s not your business. Your business is to come in here and do the best you can for yourself. (Esther)

The spotlight is on:
Fitzroy Frederick (schizophrenia) who said I’ll wear loafers, but I’m not cutting my dreadlocks.
Frances Olivero (manic depression, gender dysfunction) who said I might scare god when he sees me, I’ll be wearing a frilly pink dress.
Zeinab Wali who said it was hard to be clean and happy on the streets.
Tex Gordon who said today marks the first day of nobody being my guardian. (Since 1952)

(Where there’s a diagnosis mentioned, it was taken from the person’s own description.)

The warts ‘n all approach works well. You get to hear criticisms of the place and there’s no soft focus on any of the people either. It’s a small slice of space and time, not mindblowing, but fascinating. And it’s heartbreaking, though probably not for the reasons you’d guess before seeing it.

“The subject of West 47th Street hits close to home for (Bill) Lichtenstein (filmmaker), whose career as an ABC News producer came to a halt 18 years ago when he was diagnosed with manic depression. It took three years to struggle back from the brink of self-destruction. Following his recovery, he founded his own company, Lichtenstein Creative Media, in part to educate the public about mental illness.” IMDB

Okay, here be spoilers – you’ll appreciate them way, way more if you watch it first though.