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TitleMesmer (1994)
Alternative/Original Title
DisabilityMental Blind
CountryCanada/UK/Austria/Germany
Length107
GenreBiography
Rating?
DirectorRoger Spottiswoode
CastAlan Rickman Anna Thalbach Amanda Ooms
NotesA biography of the 18th Century doctor Franz Anton Mesmer who gave his name to mesmerism. Vienna at his time was one of the centres of the universe but it was still into leeching and trepanning, and mentally ill people were locked up like criminals. Mesmer was born in Germany but studied in Vienna. Mesmer was a novelty among the courtiers with his practice of "animal magnetism". He was also regarded as a charlatan. When he formed a relationship with a blind pianist whose seizure he had treated he was banished from Vienna. But in Paris he rose again to be a court favourite. However in 1785 a committee set up to investigate his methods and found against him leading to his falling out of favour.

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