Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2006)

In 1995, Stephen Fry was performing in Simon Gray's West End play, "Cell Mates." After three days, he walked out of the production. Sitting in a garage, his hand on the car ignition, he contemplated suicide for two hours, before fleeing his home country for the European mainland. It wasn't until this frightening episode that Fry was diagnosed with manic depression, or bipolar disorder, a psychological condition that sees its sufferers oscillating dangerously between dizzying heights of mania and gutting troughs of prolonged depression.'Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2006),' a two- part documentary directed by Ross Wilson, unfolds like a personal journey of self-discovery. Fry confronts his medical condition by consulting experts and others who have suffered the disorder (including Richard Dreyfuss and Carrie Fisher). It's very bold for Fry, and indeed all these people, to take the viewer so closely into his personal struggles, and such frankness would, I imagine, be invaluable for anybody saddled with manic depression, whether it's been diagnosed or not.Throughout the documentary, Fry does seem quite insistent on stamping manic depression as a physiological disorder, encouraging the use of medication to control the condition (though Fry himself ultimately decides against any medication). Oddly, I don't recall much mention of therapy as an effective management technique, even though it must play a considerable role in the road to recovery. This is a valuable documentary, and, having been acquainted only with Stephen Fry's bubbly TV persona, a fascinatingly intimate character study.

Slightly unfocused and meandering, but nonetheless very illuminating and interesting documentary on bipolar disorder, hosted with an understandably personal touch by Stephen Fry whose at his most tactful without reserving his wittiness.Some more scientific interviews would've been welcome, but the range of opinions on manic depression draw an adequate picture of that particularly complex illness.Not quite as touching as it's meant to be, but still worth two hours of your time.7 out of 10 Electro Boys

In dispelling myths and opening up a dark illness to public light, Stephen Fry has shown the way forward in raising awareness for BiPolar. Mental issues and illness hasn't come all that far from the Victorian, out of sight - out of mind, asylums of the past. But with candidness and honesty we are taken on a personal journey, that was well researched to give a insight to the traumatic and chaotic lives of sufferers.The stigma surrounding mental illness is a heavy burden for those affected and their families yet we see Stephen Fry not giving a damn about others perceptions of his illness. A truly ground breaking and thought provoking documentary. A must see for anyone connected with manic depression or those looking to understand what is at times incomprehensible.

This is a documentary film about Stephen Fry's and other people's life with bipolar affective disorder.I find the documentary well researched and well balanced. For example, they had various leading British psychiatrists talking about the disorder. In addition, the very different views on bipolar affective disorder in the United States were also represented. The spectrum of severity of bipolar affective disorder was represented, ranging from severe depressive episodes to manic episodes with psychosis. Various forms of treatment were touched upon. It also touched on briefly on unipolar depression to make the spectrum of mood disorder more complete.I was the most impressed by the number of celebrities and laypeople appearing on the documentary to talk about their own experience with mental illnesses. This certainly helps to reduce the stigma attached to psychiatric illnesses.It could easily be imagined that it must have been a painful documentary to make for Stephen Fry. I admire his courage. I certainly hope that this documentary will raise public awareness of bipolar affective disorder and reduce the stigma attached to it.