I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (film)
- Kathleen Quinlan: Deborah Blake
- Bibi Andersson: Dr. Fried
I've Never Promised You a Rose Garden is an American film directed by Anthony Page from the year 1977. The film is based on the eponymous autobiographical novel by Joanne Greenberg. It shows a young woman who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and in the arduous struggle for healing. A doctor helps her gently to improve their condition.
Action
The sixteen year-old Deborah is admitted after a suicide attempt in a psychiatric hospital, where schizophrenia is diagnosed. Deborah has her own make-believe world " Yr " created, in which she finds refuge from her cancer. In addition, it speaks its own, unintelligible to other mystical language. The mental illness is for Deborah escape from an intolerable reality for them.
In the clinic, the doctor Dr. Fried accepts her. It helps you to deal with the causes of the disease and more and more without the illusory world " Yr " get along. However, there are always setbacks, and Deborah is giving up close to it.
The road to recovery is to accept the real world, even if it is not a " rose garden ".
Film Production
Following the success of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Roger Corman could obtain financing for a film version of the novel published in 1964.
In an interview from 2006, recalls the author Joanne Greenberg that she was never asked by the production team of the film for advice, only the actress Bibi Andersson contacted them. Andersson told Greenberg, the producers did not want to consult the author, because this " hopelessly insane" is.
For the background music of the Yr- scenes a picture of a Balinese Kecak was used.
The film was one of the most expensive productions of New World Pictures.
Differences from the book
Notes on the Jewish faith, including Deborah of bullying by their anti-Semitic classmates were not taken from the book, so that is in the film version of the battle against the urethra cancer the only reason for Deborah's retreat from reality.
Awards (selection)
At the Academy Awards in 1978, the film received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.