Alicia
I love this movie so much
Vashirdfel
Simply A Masterpiece
Phonearl
Good start, but then it gets ruined
jadedalex
Maybe people really don't want to deal with schizophrenia and mental illness in general. A girl who only talks in rhymes meets a boy who doesn't want to be touched. On paper, it all seems rather silly.But "David and Lisa" was fascinating the first time I saw it, and it remained compelling on my last viewing.The very young Kier Dullea and Janet Margolin turn in poignant performances. Margolin is exceptionally beautiful in her first role. (She was quite lovely years later in Woody Allen's 'Take the Money and Run'.)Each scene is handled well. Howard De Silva gives a wonderfully understated performance as Dullea's doctor.This sort of material can easily be mishandled, and the results may be hokey or even laugh-inducing. But I didn't find a wrong note. (If I were to nitpick, I could say that the script made David's mother a bit too mean-spirited, and his father too sympathetic. But it's a minor point.)The scene where the troubled youngsters start yelling at the family at the station recalls (maybe not so oddly enough), the Todd Browning film 'Freaks'. This scene perhaps captures the spirit of Browning's 'Freaks' better than Todd's heavy-handed horror film did.This may be Kier Dullea's best performance. His eyes betray the arrogance and terror that the young man feels.It certainly is not an upbeat movie; this is probably one reason moviegoers did not warm up to it, although at the time of its release, "David and Lisa" was critically acclaimed. The black and white photography is perfect for the documentary style of the film. This movie remains a fine piece of work. Apparently, it also helped to boost the appeal of independent films, which was a good thing, as Hollywood could not always be trusted to go anywhere near films like this.
Sindre Kaspersen
American screenwriter, producer and director Frank Perry's feature film debut which was written by his first wife, American writer Eleanor Perry (1914-1981), is an adaptation of psychiatrist and author Theodore Isaac Rubin's novel "Lisa and David" and an American production which was shot on locations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in USA and produced by American film producer Paul M. Heller. It tells the story about David Clemens, a young man with Obsessive-compulsive disorder who after having been brought to a residential treatment centre by his mother and somewhat reluctantly left there in the hands of a doctor, meets a young woman named Lisa Brandt who only expresses herself through rhymes. David takes an interest in Lisa and begins to communicate with her on her conditions. David and Lisa finds a connection, but many obstacles arises when he learns that she has dissociative identity disorder and she learns that he can't stand to be touched by other people.Finely and acutely directed by American filmmaker Frank Perry (1930-1995), this finely tuned independent film from the early 1960s which is narrated from various viewpoints though mostly from the main character's point of view, draws an incisive and humane portrayal of an institutionalized young man's conflicting relationship with his parents and his growing relationship with a shy and charming young woman. While notable for its naturalistic milieu depictions, fine art direction by Paul M. Heller, black-and-white cinematography by American cinematographer Leonard Hirschfield (1928-2008) and use of sound, this character-driven and dialog-driven story which examines themes like coming-of-age, interpersonal communication, mental illness, family relations, friendship and trust, depicts two in-depth studies of character and contains a fine score by American composer and producer Mark Lawrence (1921-1991).This romantic, at times humorous and empathic character piece about the internal struggles of a young man and woman who are striving to learn how to trust one another, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure and the prominent acting performances by American actor Keir Dullea in his second feature film role, American actress Janet Margolin (1943-1993) in her debut feature film role and American actor Howard Da Silva (1909-1986). An authentic, illuminating and gripping psychological drama which gained Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 35th Academy Awards in 1963.
donjp
This beautiful movie has more humanity and intensity than any violent or sexual-filled film that Hollywood puts out today. The magic and conviction of this film will look in your eyes and reach deep into your heart. The acting is superb.You feel like a voyeur uninvited watching a drama unfold.The actress has a sweet demeanor which is very rare in actresses today.The actor just pulls on your heartstrings with his ability to convey to the viewer that he cant touch,yet wants to ...desparat.ely. The simple scene in which the lead actor shares a slice of chocolate cake with the psychiatrist,shows an enormous amount of two humans interacting on a level of the patient and the doctor,yet each learning and teaching from another.The vulnerability and rawness of the film reaches so many different levels and scenes throughout the movie.This film has much more raw emotion than Nicholson's film"One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest".And that is because the story gets right to the point.It is beautifully done simple,and not trying to hard.Dr.Petersen
DennisJOBrien
This film is a true gem. I get the impression that it just missed being given an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. After all, it did get a nomination for Best Director and usually the two go hand in hand. I also feel that both Keir Dullea and Janet Margolin deserved to be nominated for their acting roles in the top category. The whole thing is sublime and sensitive, handling difficult material in a tender way that seems more European than American. I suppose some might call it contrived and deliberately "artistic" to the point of being obnoxious, but it did not rub me that way. I think it stands the test of time.What is memorable to me is the simple beauty of the film. The black and white cinematography is outstanding. The scenes flow naturally. The camera angles and editing are exact and unobtrusive. The actors are given their chance to provide the motion in the picture, rather than the camera constantly panning around. This allows the viewer to focus on the two lead characters without being distracted.
