Film

Disturbed (1990)

Director: Charles Winkler

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

A black comic tale of medical madness, Winkler's debut feature stars McDowell as Dr Russell, a perverted psychiatrist whose past misdemeanours come back to haunt him. Ten years ago, Russell drove a patient to suicide with his forced sexual attentions. But when he tries it again with Sandy Ramirez (Gidley), it all goes wrong. Drugged into submission like the last victim, Sandy is seized by spasms and apparently dies; but the following day her body has vanished. Soon Russell starts getting nightmares, hallucinations, and pertinent singing telegrams from beyond the grave. McDowell gives a gloriously deranged performance, while the beautiful Gidley gets strong support from Lewis (as a sympathetic fellow-patient) and Pointer (a professionally compromised nurse). Who could resist a film which contains this pithy exchange: Nurse Francine to the wigged-out Dr Russell, 'You need professional help'; Russell, 'I am professional help!'

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