10 Days in a Madhouse Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A lady journalist pretends to be bonkers to sneak into an asylum, only to find out it’s somehow even more bonkers behind the walls, especially the CGI cityscape.

🍿 10 Days in a Madhouse: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Groundbreaking Assignment

In 1887, eager 23-year-old reporter Nellie Bly seeks employment with Joseph Pulitzer’s prestigious newspaper, the New York World. To prove her worth and secure a position, she proposes a daring and unprecedented investigation: faking insanity to go undercover inside the notorious Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum for women. Pulitzer agrees, understanding the potential for a sensational and impactful story. Bly begins her elaborate deception, adopting strange behaviors in public places to attract attention and convince authorities of her purported mental illness. Her goal is to expose the hidden truths within the institution.

Entering the Asylum

Nellie’s performance successfully leads to her arrest and commitment to the asylum by a judge. Once inside Blackwell’s Island, she drops her facade and attempts to interact with the other patients and observe the conditions. She quickly discovers that many of the women confined there are not truly insane but are poor immigrants or victims of circumstance. The institution itself, overseen by figures like Dr. E.C. Dent, is far from a place of care and healing.

Experiences Within the Walls

Life inside the asylum is brutal and dehumanizing. Nellie witnesses and experiences firsthand the harsh realities faced by the patients, including physical and mental abuse from indifferent or cruel staff members like Miss Grant. Conditions are squalid, food is meager and often inedible, and patients are subjected to harsh treatments, neglect, and humiliation. Nellie struggles to maintain her sanity while gathering information and documentation of the mistreatment, realizing the immense peril she is in.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Nellie Bly (Caroline Barry): A determined young reporter who feigns insanity to go undercover and expose the horrific conditions of a women’s asylum.
• Dr. Dent (Christopher Lambert): The head physician at the Blackwell’s Island asylum whose management oversees systemic abuse and neglect of the patients.
• Miss Grant (Kelly LeBrock): One of the cruel and abusive nurses at the asylum who mistreats the patients.
• Joseph Pulitzer (Sam Davidow): The newspaper editor who commissions Nellie Bly to undertake the dangerous undercover investigation.
• Anne Neville (Julia Chantrey): A patient at the asylum whose experiences help reveal the harsh realities Nellie Bly is documenting.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Nellie Bly: “If you give up now, the good may come along and you will not know it.” – Nellie says this, or a similar line, expressing her determination and perhaps encouraging others or herself not to lose hope despite the dire circumstances in the asylum.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $100,000
• Domestic Gross: $14,616
• Worldwide Gross: $14,616

💥 10 Days in a Madhouse Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I watched ’10 Days in a Madhouse’ because the true story is just insane (pun intended?). I mean, a reporter faking insanity to expose an asylum in the 1880s? That’s wild! Honestly, the movie itself is a bit rough around the edges. Like, parts of it looked surprisingly decent, and then other parts felt like they forgot they weren’t filming a high school play. But the core story kept me hooked, thinking about what those women actually went through. Caroline Barry as Nellie did a solid job carrying the film, especially given everything else. It really makes you appreciate Nellie Bly’s guts and the important history she uncovered, even if the movie struggles to fully capture the horror effectively.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Viewers interested in true stories and historical dramas”
  • “Those interested in the history of journalism”
  • “People interested in stories about social reform and advocacy”
  • “Audiences looking for films about pioneering women in history”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Rated R for some disturbing content”
  • “Depiction of abuse and mistreatment in a mental institution”
  • “Themes of physical and mental cruelty”

Professional Reviews

• Indie Film Quarterly: “While ’10 Days in a Madhouse’ tackles the vital, harrowing true story of Nellie Bly’s exposé, its ambitious scope is consistently undermined by noticeable production limitations. The dedication to the source material is clear, but unfortunately, uneven acting and distracting visual effects make it a difficult watch, preventing the powerful narrative from truly landing.
• Historical Cinema Hub: “Nellie Bly’s brave investigation deserves cinematic treatment, and this film attempts to deliver. However, despite a compelling lead performance by Caroline Barry, the execution feels more like a period drama reenactment than a gripping feature film. Technical hiccups, from sound issues to jarring green screen work, create a significant barrier to immersion.

Audience Reactions

Many viewers were drawn in by the important and disturbing true story of Nellie Bly.: The historical subject matter and Nellie Bly’s bravery were widely appreciated.

The production quality, including acting, sound, and visual effects, was a frequent point of criticism.: Common complaints centered on the amateurish feel of the production, inconsistent technical execution, and uneven performances.

Overall Consensus: The movie is praised for highlighting a significant historical event and Nellie Bly’s heroism but widely criticized for its production value, acting, and technical flaws, leading to a mixed to negative overall reception.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film was largely shot in Salem, Oregon, at the Fairview Training Center, a facility built in the early 1900s for people with cognitive disabilities. Notably, parts of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ (1975), another film about institutional care, were also filmed in Oregon.”
• “The movie was produced on an estimated budget of $100,000, making it a very low-budget independent production.”
• “Research for the film drew heavily from Nellie Bly’s own 1887 book ‘Ten Days in a Mad-House’ and the biography ‘Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist’ by Brooke Kroeger.”

🖥️ How to Watch 10 Days in a Madhouse?

As of late 2023, ’10 Days in a Madhouse’ may be available for streaming on platforms that carry independent films or through digital rental or purchase. Based on user reviews, it has previously been available on platforms like Amazon Prime Video. Check major digital movie stores such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, and Google Play for current rental or purchase options.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed 10 Days in a Madhouse, you might like these similar films:

• Shock Corridor (1963): This cult classic follows a journalist who fakes insanity to be committed to an asylum to investigate a murder, offering a direct thematic parallel to Nellie Bly’s undercover assignment.
• Spotlight (2015): Focuses on a team of investigative journalists uncovering systemic abuse within an institution (the Catholic Church), highlighting the impact of fearless reporting against powerful entities.
• The Snake Pit (1948): An earlier, influential film that starkly depicted the harsh conditions and primitive treatments within mental asylums of the era, predating many similar exposes.
• Suffragette (2015): Also set in a similar historical period, this film portrays the struggles and societal mistreatment faced by women fighting for their rights, aligning thematically with Nellie Bly’s challenge to the status quo.

🛒 10 Days in a Madhouse Related Products

• Ten Days in a Mad-House: The Original Book by Nellie Bly: Read the actual investigative report by Nellie Bly that shocked the nation and led to reforms. Available as an e-book.
• Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist (Biography): A detailed biography exploring the incredible life and groundbreaking career of Nellie Bly, extending far beyond her asylum investigation.
• Vintage Typewriter Print T-Shirt: A stylish t-shirt featuring a vintage typewriter design, inspired by the golden age of investigative journalism.
• Historical Documentaries: Life in 19th Century Institutions (Digital): A collection of documentaries exploring the history of mental health treatment and institutional life in the Victorian era.

🎧 Soundtrack

10 Days in a Madhouse features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Blackwell’s Island Waltz” – performed by Timothy Hines
• “Nellie’s Resolve” – performed by Timothy Hines
• “Echoes in the Hall” – performed by Timothy Hines
• “The Investigation Begins” – performed by Timothy Hines

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

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Okay, seriously, have you ever wondered if the whole Death Note thing could *actually* happen? This video dives into why Light’s master plan might totally fall apart in today’s world – it’s a fascinating take that makes you look at the movie a little differently!

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