Raising Cain (1992)
A psychodrama based on a child psychologist (played by John Lithgow). Dr. Carter Nix is a respected child psychologist, and appears happily married to Jenny, but early on we discover that he seems to be using his own small daughter Amy for improper psychological experimental purposes.
In fact Carter suffers from schizophrenia and we see his alter ego, Cain, from time to time, urging him on. In fact he seems to have several alter egos, including Margo, a middle-aged mother.
Carter becomes increasingly violent and tries to kill his wife. He is caught by the police and they bring in a female psychologist named Dr Lynn Waldheim (Frances Sternhagen) as she worked with Carter's father on psychological themes. She says she is undergoing chemotherapy at present and wears a wig. She complains that the wig they gave her is unrealistic and makes her look like a transvestite.
Under police interrogation, Carter assumes some of his other personalities, "justifying" why he can't fully disclose what he has done. One of the personalities is Margo's. The police leave Dr Waldheim alone to interrogate Carter (even though he is a suspected murderer) and he manages to overpower her and takes her wig, dress, shoes and coat -- we see her unconscious in her underwear after he has left the building, disguised as her (seen only very indistinctly). Carter goes to a motel where his father is waiting, and a tense kidnap scene follows, with Carter's little girl Amy as the hostage. But finally Carter walks out in the woman's disguise and escapes into the night.
The film ends with Jenny and Amy in a park; Amy plays alone while Jenny chats with another mother, but in a moment Amy runs to Jenny saying that"Daddy is in the trees." Jenny follows Amy into a wooded area. Amy is still insisting that "Daddy is here," and although Jenny thinks that is impossible, we very briefly see Carter in Margo's personality.
I thought the film was rather silly.
John Lithgow also played the transsexual, Roberta, in The World According to Garp.
HF 2000
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Raising Cain
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