David and Lisa (1962) is a low-budget film directed by Frank Perry, often cited as one of his best works. Based on the novel by Theodore Isaac Rubin, the screenplay, written by Frank Perry's wife Eleanor, tells the story of a bright young man suffering from a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This lands him in a residential treatment center, in which he meets a girl with dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder, and often mistakenly called "schizophrenia") called Lisa, whom he learns to understand.
The film is shot entirely in black-and-white, and it runs for 93 minutes. Shooting it cost US$183,000, and it made over US$1,000,000 in rentals on its first week.
David and Lisa earned Frank Perry a nomination for the 1962 Academy Award for Directing and Eleanor Perry for her Screenplay.
David and Lisa is also the title of the stage play (c. 1967) with the same basic characters and story, and it is the title of a 1998 made-for-TV film starring Lukas Haas, Sidney Poitier, and Brittany Murphy.
The emotional story of a young man in a mental institution for teens who begins to understand his psychosis in the environment of others with mental and emotional problems. He finds intimacy with Lisa, a young woman suffering from schizophrenia. Written by joe robertson
Lukas Haas portays David, a withdrawn but apparent near genius, who fears being touched. Brittney Murphy plays Lisa, a young woman seemingly suffering from split personalities who speaks only in rhymes and withdraws from anyone who doesn't speak to her likewise. Meeting in the psychiatric ward, the two's eyes lock and an obvious attraction is indicated. First each must learn to approach each other in their own sphere. Enter Sidney Poitier as a caring psychologist who helps David to come to terms with his emotional failure to deal with his father's death at an early age. Debi Mazar also appears as Lisa's case worker. Written by John Sacksteder
