A Beautiful Mind: About Love, Schizophrenia, or Genius?
The film “A Beautiful Mind” can be called a cult film that has entered the fund of world cinema forever and is not going to leave it. At the same time, it is worth noting quite objectively that if a person who has not seen it before looks at this picture in modern conditions, then he may not be too delighted, and even a little surprised by the numerous odes and dithyrambs that critics and ordinary viewers sang to him. In other words, now all this is no longer new, although it is unlikely that anyone will turn their tongues to call “A Beautiful Mind” an outdated film.
Therefore, it is very important to remember that this film project was implemented in 2001. In 2001, beautiful, stylish, conceptual films about paranoid schizophrenics were not yet a trite chip used by almost every second director. In 2001, there was not yet such an abundance of paintings about brilliant people, reflecting both their many advantages and serious shortcomings that prevented them from living. However, numerous stories about deep and forgiving love were not uncommon even in 2001, but that’s why they are stories about love: they are always interesting and always relevant.
In a word, what we have now “gorged on” was then new, fresh and topical. Moreover: “A Beautiful Mind” can be called a model, a standard, one of the first films of this kind, shot in a modern style. And if, taking this into account, take a good look at it, then you can feel something akin to the pleasure of visiting an art gallery with the works of artists who lived in past centuries: awe of what deservedly entered the history of art.
Love line as an example for each of us
The romantic part of the plot is not just outdated – it has become even more relevant now, in the late 2010s, than it was in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, not all tendencies emerging in our society can be called positive and constructive. And one of the most “suffering” aspects of our life is relationships.
Modern people are much more likely to build these very relationships based solely on consumerism. “You owe me this, and for that I will give you this.” Marriages are concluded with those with whom it is convenient for some reason, and when the first problems in the relationship appear, they tend to break them, and not to establish them.
John Nash is not the man made for family life
The truth, of course, is so logical and obvious that it’s even a little ridiculous to talk about it: there are no ideal people, there are no ideal couples, there are no ideal relationships. Everyone has their own cockroaches in their heads, everyone has their own problems, and in any marriage there are always some difficulties. It’s just that some people marry those with whom they are ready to overcome these difficulties, which they subsequently do, while others choose a couple according to dubious criteria and give up instead of working on relationships.
John and Alicia Nash are kind of a role model, a showcase designed to remind us of how to truly relate to our loved one. Everything is ambiguous for them, it is very difficult for them, but they are together and they will cope. Separately, it is worth noting the character of Jennifer Connelly: a woman who falls in love with a very difficult person and is responsible for her choice.
The real Alicia also helped John to some extent learn to live with his illness.
Of course, you might be thinking: “This film is based on real events, this is just a real incident, the creators of the picture did not want to say anything with that.” However, the fact is that many facts from the biography of John Nash were corrected and embellished when writing the script. Including, and a love line (although Alicia really played an important role in the life of a mathematician). And the decision to show just such love: with support, understanding, forgiveness and confidence in each other – was made for a reason.
Was there a student, an FBI agent and a girl?
The writers corrected many aspects of John Nash’s biography, and the peculiarities of his paranoid schizophrenia were no exception. First, the scientist developed the disease much later than shown in the film. And, more importantly, secondly, the real Nash did not see any non-existent people. He only heard their voices, no visual images.
You need to understand that paranoid schizophrenia has many different forms and manifestations. It is often accompanied by hallucinations, but hallucinations can be not only visual. In fact, they represent an image that involuntarily appears in consciousness, but the forms of exit and interaction with this image can be different. Hallucinations can even be vestibular, tactile, olfactory, and so on.
John Nash received insulin therapy in New Jersey
But, obviously, any of these types of hallucinations are not as spectacular as visual images. As the director explained, he wanted the audience to get into John Nash’s head, under the skull, to feel what he felt. Therefore, it was decided to supplement auditory hallucinations with visual ones. Let us remind you once again that it was 2001, and the appearance of imaginary characters on the screen at that time was considered a rather original move.
Perhaps, had it not been for Charles Herman, William Parcher and Marcy, this film would not have been so spectacular. The only scene in which John says that he learned to live with them and not let them rule his life, looking at all three of his invented friends, walking a little in the distance, is worth an inaccurate retelling of the biography. This scene gives hope not only to paranoid schizophrenics, but to all people who are faced with problems that at this stage are almost impossible to solve.
“They are my past, and the past haunts everyone,” says Nash in response to a question about hallucinations.
Sometimes we just can’t change some things, no matter how much we want to. But this does not mean that we are doomed to suffer and roll downhill: we can pull ourselves together and continue to live with dignity, no matter what.
“Analysis of equilibrium in the theory of non-cooperative games”
This is the name of the work for which John Nash received his Nobel Prize. By the way, the colorful ceremony in Princeton, as well as the sentimental speech with special thanks to Alicia Nash, are also inventions of the writers. In principle, Princeton does not hold such ceremonies. Moreover, John Nash did not even read the traditional Nobel lecture at Stockholm University, as he was not in the best condition, and the organizers of the award simply did not dare to such an event. As a result, everything was limited to a seminar with John’s participation.
The entire awards ceremony was essentially made up.
Of course, this, again, would not look as spectacular as a spectacular ceremony. After everything we’ve seen so far, we deserve catharsis: the spectacle of a genius (and partly insane because of his genius) being given a legitimate reward. And we get this spectacle.
Perhaps this approach to retelling the biography and presenting the main ideas can be called a little rustic and straightforward. But, on the other hand, it is precisely such films that often touch the strings of our souls the most, while pictures with a complicated plot leave only confusion and bewilderment after watching. Therefore, A Beautiful Mind can be called a film of all time, in which every generation will find something interesting and important for themselves.
