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The Three Faces of Eve (1957) and Dissociative Identity


By Trisha Malhotra
Remedial Blog Post

 One of the most controversial mental illnesses is Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) for its symptoms and manifestations have been severely corrected in the DSM time and again. However, a striking representation of this disorder is seen in the 1957 film "The Three Faces of Eve." This film is based on a real clinical case and much of the dialogue has been directly taken from clinical records.

 Eve White, a "defeated housewife", goes to see a psychiatrist with complaints of headaches and blackouts. While conversing with the doctor her alter Eve Black emerges. DID is characterised by at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality states. Individuals with DID often have trouble remembering their own thoughts, feelings, actions, and experiential memories beyond mere forgetfulness especially when they are in an "altered" identity. This was the case with Eve White who has no knowledge of the existence or actions of Eve Black.

 The "alters" of patients with DID also have their own age, sex, or race. Each alter has her or his own gestures, postures or way of talking. When an alter emerges, it controls the individual's behaviour and thoughts, the process of which is called "switching." In the film, Eve Black is the polar opposite of Eve White. While White is quiet and shy, Black is social and outspoken. Eve Black even engages in alcohol consumption, smoking and unprotected sex while White claims she would never partake in any of these activities.

 The cause for DID is said to be childhood trauma. This was also depicted in the film. Through hypnosis with her psychiatrist, Eve reveals that she was forced by her parents to kiss her deceased grandmother in her coffin. Six-year-old Eve had "repressed" this memory. Dissociation is thought to be a coping mechanism in response to the stress induced from such trauma since one does not want to assimilate such trauma into their conscious self. Hence, since the age of six, Eve reported the emergence of her alters Eve Black and Eve White.

 It is important to note that Eve's reports of the emergence of her altered personalities were based on testimonies by her husband and parents of her "strange" behaviour. Until diagnosed, she, like most people with DID, had no idea about her own switching. Another point is that while the film used hypnotherapy to treat Eve's case, there is a lack of consensus in its effectiveness as a treatment measure for DID. Popular ways of treating DID today also include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and insight-oriented therapy. The common aim of all these measures is to build skills like emotion regulation to cope effectively with perceived trauma, abuse of any other threats directed to oneself.

 In line with this, Eve's psychiatrist in the film admits that she is unfit to take care of her child whether she ends up as Eve White or Eve Black. He believes both personalities are strong in their own way but incomplete when it comes to important aspects of dealing with stress. Hence, when the third alter -Jane- emerges, there is hope for the case as Jane displays a more integrated and well-adjusted personality. However, in most cases of DID, such an emergence of an integrated personality is a rare occurrence.

 DID is popularly comorbid with disorders like Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder. However, individuals with DID also experience sleep problems, mood swings, suicidality, eating disorders and various other mental illnesses. Eve Black confesses to her psychiatrist that she attempted suicide as Eve White and reveals the self-harm White inflicted on herself. White's actions were rendered to be arising from not knowing how to deal with the consequences of Eve Black's actions. Her husband who could not understand her 'crazy' behaviour had also left her which triggered this event.

 In conclusion, however, a constant reminder in the film was that Eve's personality switches were out of her control. Any stressful event in her life would trigger the switch. While her husband was unsupportive, he also demonstrated how DID, then known as Multiple Personality Disorder, was looked down upon by society. Hence, the film was an attempt to change the attitude people had towards this illness by putting them in the shoes of an individual with DID.

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