Dr. Mortimer Granville (played by Hugh Dancy) was an eager young doctor who believed that the cause of most ailments are from germs which at that time wasn't believed to exist since no one can see it. Modern medicine was considered as "calm reassurance and regular bleeding" at time time. After having a heated conversation with his superior Dr. Richardson, Dr. Grandville was dismissed and from then started his journey down the road of unemployment with a dash of failed job interviews. But even after being offered by his patron Edmund St. John-Smythe (played by Rupert Everett) a great sum, Mortimer doesn't give up and eventually finds a small yet lucrative practice of one Dr. Robert Dalrymple (played by Jonathan Pryce) where he also meets his feisty and passionate daughter Charlotte Darlrymple (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal)and her complete opposite younger sister Emily Dalrymple (played by Felicity Jones). This is where he learns of Hysteria which Dr. Dalrymple refers to as "a plague of our time... that half the women in London are infected." He explains further what it is and his need for an assistant. Granville accepts and starts the very next day.
The first patient he observed was an anxious Mrs. Parsons who had been having "those distracting thoughts all week". Dr. Dalrymple explained that hysteria patients have been offered a variety of treatments such as warm baths, ice baths, water jets, mezmerization, horse-back riding even. But as remarked by Dr. Dalrymple, "I favor a more direct approach... The most direct, most effective treatment we can offer." As they observe an orgasmic Mrs. Parsons, Dr. Granville learns the basics of treating Hysteria.
During dinner, Mortimer realizes that Emily was more than a dainty home-maker and also finds that they have the same interests which makes him more drawn to her. On the other side, he finds Charlotte challenging, boisterous and hysterical, even non-sensical to a certain point. After bidding him goodnight, Mortimer asks Emily why she was somewhat the ideal and her sister was so volatile. Emily confesses that she was hardly ideal and that Charlotte only feels so strong about the things she cares about. She adds the Charlotte is terribly clever and wonderfully charitable to which Mortimer replied, "If she's earned such admiration to one so kind and gentle as yourself, I shall never speak poorly of her".
Mortimer carries on with his treatments and he even acquires new customers. He was even offered partner by Dr. Dalrymple with the consent to being affianced with Emily. One unceremonious evening, Charlotte shows up with a friend whose ankle was injured. As Mortimer was treating the broken ankle, he finds out that Charlotte thinks her father's practice as trivial work and invites Mortimer to come and visit the settlement where the people in real need are. Dr. Dalrymple discovers this and warns Mortimer never to aid any of Charlotte's future whims. Meanwhile, Charlotte is in the brink of losing the settlement and offers to loan her mother's earrings to a rich couple who are also a family friend.
Mortimer then visits the settlements where he finds Charlotte who not only agrees with his germ theory but also with many of his principles but he fears that he might lose his practice if he indulges her causes any longer and so he leaves Charlotte dejected and frustrated.
Everything goes very well until Mortimer's right hand fails (because of fatigue) and wasn't able to treat Mrs. Castellari. He was dismissed by Dr. Dalrymple which sent him back to his patron's house.
He was lying on the couch one night, playing with Edmund's feather duster machine when a brilliant idea occured to him - a massaging machine that did the same but more effective job than his right hand. They first tested it to the Dalrymples' house help Molly (played by Sheridan Smith), an former prostitute. After resulting to a success, Mortimer and Edmund offered the machine to Dr. Dalrymple and asked Mrs. Castellari if she would be willing to try since it was with her that Mortimer failed. She agreed and it was with her and her being able to sing again that proved that the machine was successful.
Soon it was Mortimer and Emily's engagement night, Charlotte came to attend the engagement and there Mortimer learns that Charlotte loaned her mother's earrings for the settlement. Later, Charlotte's friend came to the party telling her what happened in the settlement. Charlotte's loan did not pull through because her father intervened and warned the couple who she loaned the earrings to to decline her request. Charlotte made a scene and was taken away by the authorities for disruptive behavior caused by hysteria.
The next day Dr. Dalrymple asks Mortimer to testify to the court that Charlotte has hysteria. However, when Mortimer was finally placed on the spot, he confesses that hysteria was just a fiction - nothing but catual diagnosis for women forced to spend their lives tending to domestic chores and selfish, prudish husbands who are unwilling or unable to make love to them properly or often enough. However, even with such testimonial, Charlotte was still convicted for 30 days in the prison after which she was greeted by Mortimer with a proposal for marriage.
The movie was very empowering for women. It was wrapped around the idea of women finally having a mind of their own in a time when they were suppressed because of the societial norm that women are only very good at house chores and raising children. It also awakened the idea of real duty, that the duty of a daughter to her family is not only for them to be happy with the decision they make as a family but also that she is also happy with the decision.
With the timeline, I am not very sure if the details were historically correct but I find the little informations such as the mentioning of Lister's name (inventor of Listerine) very interesting. I also enjoyed the way they enacted certain conversations that were once regarded as stupid and unrealistic at their time like the telephone and germs. It was enlightening to know and see that there was an age where no one believe a particular thought and here we all are accepting it as fact. Makes me think what more is there we can discover.
All in all, the movie was a engaging and enjoyable. Although, I have to say that I have already known from the very beginning that Mortimer will end up with Charlotte instead of Emily - there was a moment, I think that scene where Mortimer and Charlotte was discussing about germs and education for women and children. It was quite obvious but nonetheless, still edible. I will recommend this to all those who like humorous romantic films but also enjoys the informative tidbits and the lavish Victorian setting.
Have a happy viewing!
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