Victorian-era film Hysteria to star Maggie Gyllenhaal, some other actors, and a… vibrator?

Maggie Gyllenhaal (NANNY MCPHEE RETURNS, THE DARK KNIGHT) and Hugh Dancy (MY IDIOT BROTHER, KING ARTHUR) are reportedly set to star in the indie romantic comedy HYSTERIA from director Tanya Wexler (BALL IN THE HOUSE, FINDING NORTH), about the invention of the vibrator in Victorian-era England.

The actors, according to Variety, join the already cast Jonathan Pryce (G.I. JOE, BRAZIL) and Rupert Everett (STARDUST, MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING) who are starring “as doctors in London treating cases of hysteria, a condition said to be characterized at the time by a woman’s irritability, anger or unexplained tears.” Dancy’s character and his best friend (Everett) experiment with “a new electrical device” to treat the ailment. Gyllenhaal will portray the daughter of Pryce’s character.

If you head over to Wikipedia and read a bit about female hysteria, I promise you that you will laugh. Especially at the idea that doctors back in the day actually treated hysteria with “pelvic massage” until their patients experienced “hysterical paroxysm”.

HYSTERIA is set to start shooting this October in London and Luxembourg.