Voices Within: The Lives of Truddi Chase

Fisrstly let me start by saying My partner has MPD, or D.I.D(dissociative identity disorder) as it is now known. Shelly Long's portrayal of Truddi Chase was excellent. Her ability to portray the 'switches' associated with this condition was spot on. I see it daily in my own partner, and Shelly Long nailed this performance with brilliant acting. Unfortunately some people don't believe this condition exists, but i can tell you it is true and to live with someone who suffers this disorder is a nightmare in itself.To see the agony and torment they go thru just to 'function' on a daily basis is enough to tear your heart out. Excellent movie, brilliantly acted and the actions of her Doctor played by Tom Conti was excellent and well done. 10/10, 5 stars.

on a TV screen. While this film is not a masterpiece, it at least exposes the audience to Chase's condition, and having read her book "When Rabbit Howls, the Troops for Truddi Chase", the real material was probably edited and censored from the beginning. The real story was horrific; child sexual abuse which could never be translated and diluted for TV.

While MPD is controversial and rare, the book certainly made a plausible argument for Chase's diagnosis. Another reviewer mentioned Kenneth Bianchi ("The Hillside Strangler") Let us be reminded that Ms. Chase was a patient, not a serial killer, in danger of harming herself, NOT society. This is the problem with stories of this nature, the public cannot comprehend, lumps it as sensationalistic, and dismisses it entirely.

Basically, if you found the film too unbelievable, read the book. You will learn this was Chase's diagnosis, she survived a horrible ordeal, and the film does show the audience her tactics for survival. Her story is an admirable one, and you may also want to watch "Little Girl Fly Away" with Mare Winngham, or "Sybil" for comparable stories. Although the film may not be scientifically accurate, it at least provides a partial documentary for the otherwise unaware audience. 8/10

This was a four hour TV movie, in which I expected insight into the human mind and child abuse. Instead, three and a half hours are devoted to things not even in the book. See our protagonist fight with her husband! See her fly on a plane! See her sell real estate! Finally, the movie gives sort of lip service to the book, but that's not really the important part.

Do not waste four hours of your life on this movie.

I think this is a really good film for Shelley to have done because it shows that she is a much better actor than she got to show in "Cheers". Pretending to be a different kind of person than you are in real life is good acting, and convincingly playing several different kinds of people in one film is great acting. It is true that the medical condition isn't examined as a medical condition but in my opinion that is not the point if making this film - it was just to give the viewer a feeling of what having multiple personalities does to the subject's family and friends, and in my case it succeeded in that endeavour.

When I saw this film I had never seen an episode of "Cheers", and had never heard of Shelley Long, so all I saw was a great actor who for long periods of a rollercoaster story made me believe that it was all real. I loved the salesperson who could almost literally sell anything to anybody, and I especially loved the plate smashing scene. In my experience only a few other TV films are anywhere near as good as this one, the only one that springs to mind being the Amy Irving version of "Anastasia".

I find it rather odd to read such unflattering comments about Long's performance. Personally speaking I would say if anyone ever had any doubts about Long's capacity as an actor they should see this film. Her portrayal was/is simply stunning. A stark departure from more predictable / typical roles but Long shines here to an amazing degree. I wish the film was available on DVD / Video so I could share this with my film buff friends. The film itself may warrant criticism but Long's performance makes all that pale into insignificance. Yes - a very untypical role for Long which in itself enhances her performance.

Glenn