FEMINIST HUMOR FILLS “HYSTERIA”

FEMINIST HUMOR FILLS “HYSTERIA”

Feminists have never been known for their sense of humor. The British film “Hysteria,” directed by Tanya Wexler, isn’t likely to change that, but “Hysteria” will surely become a long-running video favorite of women everywhere who gather among themselves for evenings of mutual satisfaction.

Making fun of men and their obtuse discomfort over the subject of female sexuality is the subject here, explored on many levels with such droll delight even most men should be able to manage a smile now and then.

“Hysteria” is nothing less than a fictionalized recounting (with a political agenda) of circumstances surrounding the invention of the vibrator in Victorian London during the 1880s – a time when many illnesses were treated by applying leeches to suck out the patient’s poisoned blood.

That new-fangled idea about germs causing disease was considered so ridiculous it didn’t get much respect from serious doctors.

So here is pioneering Dr. Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce), a specialist in women’s medicine, experimenting with treatments for “hysteria,” which was a kind of medical catch-all name like “depression.”

The good doctor would discretely massage a most personal part of his female patients’ anatomy until they felt a sudden surge of pleasure. Upon which their hysteria symptoms of headaches, tension, muscle pain and whatnot would dissipate for a time.

This being Victorian England, the idea that sex had anything to do with pleasure was as remote as questioning all those leeches.

The seriousness with which Dr. Dalrymple performs his treatment is equally convincing for his patients (and amusing for his movie audience).

This gentleman also has two adult daughters, both exceptionally lovely. Emily (Felicity Jones) is the good daughter, a proper young woman whose domestic skills are beyond reproach. Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is the spirited

anti-authoritarian who wants to actually help the poor feed themselves and care for their own children.

Charlotte is a maverick in every sense of the word. She also understands what makes her father’s treatment of hysteria so popular.

Enter the handsome young Dr. Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy), a progressive man of science with no idea why Dr. Dalyrmple’s treatments are so successful. But does recognize the opportunity to fill a need.

So many middle-aged patients are filling the senior doctor’s office, he brings in Dr. Granville. But the young physician is so charming when he administers the treatment, business booms…and both doctors begin to suffer a kind of carpel tunnel syndrome from administering such thorough care.

Fortunately, Dr. Granville’s roommate Edmund is a tinkerer in electronics. Edmund is working on an electrical feather duster, which gives Dr. Granville the idea for…um…an electrically powered personal massage device.

Even though the plot unfolds exactly as you would expect as appreciation for this particular treatment evolves, watching becomes a delightful experience with every step. Just like watching those nature films of flowers blossoming