Murder: By Reason of Insanity

This is a good film which shows the effect of deinstitutionalization in the U.S. Patients were released in record numbers without medical care, so the state could save some money. In 1979 Berwid, a patient who threatened his wife with murder, was released from Pilgrim State hospital, in Suffolk County NY. (You may "google" it for more information, a huge complex now vacant, which was built in the late 1800's to house the mentally ill). They also had a jail for the criminally insane, which is now in disrepair, as well as Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

Berwid is well-portrayed by Jurgen Prochnow, a Polish immigrant who, along with his wife(Candice Bergen) relocated to L.I., NY. As Ewa Berwid succeeds in her work as an architect, her husband finds himself threatened, and is having difficulty finding an engineering job. His frustration transforms into rage at his wife. He resorts to physical abuse, lawyers become involved, and Berwid is sent to Pilgrim State for psychiatric treatment. After a few months of good behavior, he receives a day pass, and takes the train back to Mineola NY, where his wife resides.

I will not divulge the ending, but this is a good film based on a true story. 9/10.