Essay Questions

How does Susanna's cigarette burning down during a therapy session relate to revealing character?

Mangold films Susanna speaking with her cigarette in her hand and then her mind drifts off to a memory and when she snaps out of the memory her cigarette is nearly all turned to a long stem of ash. This reveals that Susanna is so caught up in the thoughts of her mind that she has a difficult time being in the present moment. This relates to her need for help in order to bring her out of the thoughts that are plaguing her and into her life. And this is her journey in the film.

What song does Susanna and Lisa sing to Polly when she is put into confinement?

"Downtown" is the name of the song that they sing in order to comfort her while she is alone and locked up for the night. Susanna even plays the guitar while singing to her in order to comfort her.

What film did James Mangold relate to in order to prepare for Girl Interrupted?

James Mangold has said that he studied Wizard of Oz in order to prepare for the film. He talks about the scene where Susanna comes into the hallway for the first time and his use of a camera tilt is like an introduction into Oz for her character. Moreover, he studied the plot of the film for his story.