Sybil

Sybil is a 1976 movie which portrays the life of a woman who claims to suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) / Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Sybil tells the story of Sybil Dorsett (played by Sally Field), a woman who as been severely abused by her mother and who suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) / Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). In the movie she recounts with her psychologist Dr. Wilbur (played by Joanne Woodward) her experiences as a child and the different personalities she has developed. Sybil was based on a book of the same name by Flora Rheta Schreiber.

The authenticity of the MPD diagnosis and the character portrayed in Sybil was later called into question when it came to light that the patient who the movie was based on claimed she was faking.The book "Sybil Exposed: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case" by Debbie Nathan seeks to debunk the portrayal of the book and movie See NPR Article on "Sybil Exposed". Today, a character like Sybil would more likely be diagnosed with Histrionic or Borderline Personality Disorder.

Sybil was originally broadcast as a 2-part miniseries on NBC in 1976 and later, due to public demand, released as a video/DVD.

Sally Field earned an Emmy award for her portrayal of Sybil.

You can watch a clip from the movie below:

"Sybil", 1976 Lorimar Productions