A Dangerous Method (2011)

***A Dangerous Method*** is a 2011 historical drama film directed by David Cronenberg. The film stars Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Gadon, and Vincent Cassel. Its screenplay was adapted by writer Christopher Hampton from his 2002 stage play *The Talking Cure*, which was based on the 1993 non-fiction book by John Kerr, *A Most Dangerous Method: The Story of Jung, Freud, and Sabina Spielrein*.

Set on the eve of World War I, *A Dangerous Method* describes the turbulent relationships between Carl Jung, founder of analytical psychology; Sigmund Freud, founder of the discipline of psychoanalysis; and Sabina Spielrein, initially a patient of Jung and later a physician and one of the first female psychoanalysts.

A co-production between British, Canadian and German production companies, the film marks the third consecutive collaboration between Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen (after *A History of Violence* and *Eastern Promises*). This is also the third Cronenberg film made with British film producer Jeremy Thomas, after completing together the William Burroughs adaptation *Naked Lunch* and the J. G. Ballard adaptation *Crash*. Filming took place between May and July 2010 in Cologne on a soundstage, with exterior shots filmed in Vienna.

*A Dangerous Method* premiered at the 68th Venice Film Festival and was also featured at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was theatrically released in Germany on 10 November 2011 by Universal Pictures International, in Canada on 13 January 2012 by Entertainment One and in the United Kingdom on 10 February 2012 by Lionsgate. The film grossed $24 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics, many praising the performances of Mortensen and Fassbender and Cronenberg's direction. It appeared on several critics' year-end lists. At the 70th Golden Globe Awards, Mortensen was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for his portrayal of Freud.

## Shooting

* Filming was from May 26th, 2010 - July 24th, 2010.

## Cast

* Keira Knightley - Sabina Spielrein
* Viggo Mortensen - Sigmund Freud
* Michael Fassbender - Carl Jung
* Vincent Cassel - Otto Gross
* Sarah Gadon - Emma Jung
* André Hennicke - Prof. Eugen Bleuler (as André M. Hennicke)
* Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey - Sándor Ferenczi
* Mignon Remé - Jung's Secretary
* Mareike Carrière - Food Nurse
* Franziska Arndt - Bath Nurse
* Wladimir Matuchin - Nikolai Spielrein
* André Dietz - Medical Policeman
* Anna Thalbach - Bathtub Patient
* Sarah Marecek - Orchard Nurse
* Bjorn Geske - Orderly (as Björn Geske)
* Markus Haase - Orderly
* Christian Serritiello - Ship's Officer
* Clemens Giebel - Ship's Steward
* Theo Meller - Karl Abraham
* Jost Grix - Leonhard Seif
* Severin von Hoensbroech - Johan van Ophuijsen
* Torsten Knippertz - Ernest Jones
* Dirk S. Greis - Franz Riklin
* Katharina Palm - Martha Freud
* Nina Azizi - Minna Bernays
* Julie Chevallier - Anna Freud
* Cynthia Cosima - Sophie Freud
* Mirko Naeger-Guckeisen - Ernst Freud
* Andy Magro - Jean Freud (as Andrea Magro)
* Aaron Keller - Oliver Freud
* Nadine Salomon - Maid at Freud's House
* Naike Jaszczyk - Agathe Jung
* Sarah Adams - Gret Jung

**Rest of cast listed alphabetically:**

* Christian Natter - Ship's Passenger (uncredited)
* Lucrezia Phantazia - Mental Patient (uncredited)
* Dennis Vehlen - Traveller with Book (uncredited)
* Ingeborg Vehlen - Rich Traveller (uncredited)