Tephen Fry the celebrated Englishman is a manic depressive and it takes a lot of courage to come out publicly let alone come out to the wide world in a documentary but this is a great effort by the comedian and he charts not just his battle with this disorder but its widespread effects and the ways one can try to work around it. Many are still confused as to what depression is and how devastating it can be- This is the documentary to show them.

In 1995, Stephen Fry was performing in Simon Gray's West End play, "Cell Mates." After three days, he walked out of the production. Sitting in a garage, his hand on the car ignition, he contemplated suicide for two hours, before fleeing his home country for the European mainland. It wasn't until this frightening episode that Fry was diagnosed with manic depression, or bipolar disorder, a psychological condition that sees its sufferers oscillating dangerously between dizzying heights of mania and gutting troughs of prolonged depression.'Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive (2006),' a two- part documentary directed by Ross Wilson, unfolds like a personal journey of self-discovery. Fry confronts his medical condition by consulting experts and others who have suffered the disorder (including Richard Dreyfuss and Carrie Fisher). It's very bold for Fry, and indeed all these people, to take the viewer so closely into his personal struggles, and such frankness would, I imagine, be invaluable for anybody saddled with manic depression, whether it's been diagnosed or not.Throughout the documentary, Fry does seem quite insistent on stamping manic depression as a physiological disorder, encouraging the use of medication to control the condition (though Fry himself ultimately decides against any medication). Oddly, I don't recall much mention of therapy as an effective management technique, even though it must play a considerable role in the road to recovery. This is a valuable documentary, and, having been acquainted only with Stephen Fry's bubbly TV persona, a fascinatingly intimate character study.

I have been diagnosed bipolar 1 and a half year ago and must say that, read, saw a lot about this. This documentary is by far the best I saw... I would suggest to any bipolar trying to explain what is manic depression about, to recommend this documentary. It shows different levels, aspects of the trouble with great humanity. Stephen Fry also shows how his environment perceives his trouble. A few aspects, however, could have been mentioned in the movie, particularly the heredity. My grand father and my uncle were also manic depressive and ended their lives miserably... Another criticism is about the Stephen Fry's personal choice. I can understand it as he has been successful in his career. However, owed to a certain discrimination, lost of manic depressive end up living in a permanent loneliness and sadness. At least, it was my case. For those people, and it is the case of the majority of bipolar people, there is no other choice than go for medication and therapy.

This is a documentary film about Stephen Fry's and other people's life with bipolar affective disorder.I find the documentary well researched and well balanced. For example, they had various leading British psychiatrists talking about the disorder. In addition, the very different views on bipolar affective disorder in the United States were also represented. The spectrum of severity of bipolar affective disorder was represented, ranging from severe depressive episodes to manic episodes with psychosis. Various forms of treatment were touched upon. It also touched on briefly on unipolar depression to make the spectrum of mood disorder more complete.I was the most impressed by the number of celebrities and laypeople appearing on the documentary to talk about their own experience with mental illnesses. This certainly helps to reduce the stigma attached to psychiatric illnesses.It could easily be imagined that it must have been a painful documentary to make for Stephen Fry. I admire his courage. I certainly hope that this documentary will raise public awareness of bipolar affective disorder and reduce the stigma attached to it.