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David and Lisa

David and Lisa

Drama · Romance · 1962

Teenager David Clemens develops a hysterical fear that he will die if he comes into physical contact with another person. Perturbed, David's overbearing mother places him in a home for mentally disturbed young people, but David remains withdrawn from the other patients and his psychiatrist. Over time, however, David grows interested in 15-year-old Lisa, who suffers from multiple personalities – one who can only speak in rhyme, and the other, a mute.

Movie details

David and Lisa

“An unusual love story!”

1962 Drama · Romance 1h 35m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

Teenager David Clemens develops a hysterical fear that he will die if he comes into physical contact with another person. Perturbed, David's overbearing mother places him in a home for mentally disturbed young people, but David remains withdrawn from the other patients and his psychiatrist. Over time, however, David grows interested in 15-year-old Lisa, who suffers from multiple personalities – one who can only speak in rhyme, and the other, a mute.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over David and Lisa?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Frank Perry

Written by

Eleanor Perry

Keir Dullea

Keir Dullea

David Clemens

Janet Margolin

Janet Margolin

Lisa Brandt

Howard Da Silva

Howard Da Silva

Dr. Swinford

Neva Patterson

Neva Patterson

Mrs. Clemens

Clifton James

Clifton James

John

R

Richard McMurray

Mr. Stewart Clemens

N

Nancy Nutter

Maureen

Court is in session

Put David and Lisa on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.