The Lifetime feature is inspired by Nellie Bly’s undercover stay at the impenetrable Women’s Lunatic Asylum and stars Christina Ricci, Judith Light as Matron Grady and Josh Bowman.
On a mission to expose the deplorable conditions and mistreatment of patients at the notorious Women’s Lunatic Asylum, investigative reporter Nellie Bly (Ricci) feigns mental illness in order to be institutionalized to report from the inside. The movie delivers an intense and fictionalized account of actual events surrounding Nellie’s stay beginning after Nellie has undergone treatment, leaving her with no recollection of how she came to the asylum or her real identity.
Nellie’s unwillingness to submit to authority results in unspeakable torture at the hands of the head nurse, Matron Grady (Light). When Nellie captures the attention of Dr. Josiah (Bowman) who tries to help her, Grady’s barbaric tactics only intensify, leading Nellie to questions if she actually does belong in the asylum after all. A real-life hero, Nellie Bly’s expose was the first of its kind in America and inspired the global reformation of mental health care.
production details
Canada | Lifetime | 120 minutes | Broadcast Saturday 19 January 2019
Director: Karen Moncrieff
Script: Helen Childress
Executive Producers: Christina Ricci, David Sigal, Howard Braunstein, Jonathan Baruch, Michael Tive, Peter Werner
cast
Christina Ricci as Nellie Bly
Judith Light as Matron Grady
Joshua Bowman as Dr. Josiah
Anja Savcic as Lottie
Nikki Duval as Nurse Fenton
Lauren Cochrane as Nurse Lila
Johise Namwira as Johari
Kathleen Gallagher as Black-haired Crazy Patient
