Infinitely Polar Bear

Amelia: “My father was diagnosed manic-depressive in 1967... On their first date he took her on a driving tour of New England and told her all about his nervous breakdowns... She said it was a crazy time. Half the people they knew were going bananas...” (0:00)

Amelia’s father Cam tells her mother Maggie, “I’m not manic.” (0:02)

Cam explains his weight gain to his daughters, “That’s the medication they put me on.” (0:05)

Cam’s daughter Faith: “I hate visiting him at the halfway house.”
Maggie: “Daddy’s still recovering from his breakdown.” (0:06)

Cam tells Amelia, “My plan is to get out of this halfway house.”
Amelia: “Mommy says you have a drinking problem. I think if you could stop drinking and take your lithium, then Mommy would let you come home.” (0:08)

By telephone Cam tells Maggie, “Amelia came to see me at the halfway house today.” (0:09)

Cam tells Maggie, referring to Amelia, “I think we should try to find a therapist for her to talk to.” (0:09)

Maggie tells Cam’s parents, referring to Dr. Wendell, “He says that Cam made an excellent recovery from his breakdown...” (0:17)

Cam engages in heavy drinking then staggers home.. (0:31)

Amelia tells Faith, referring to Cam, “He’s drunk.” (0:33)

Cam reads the label of his prescription bottle: “Lithium.” (0:33)

Cam an the girls sing: “Hitler has only got one ball. Goering has two but very small. Himmler has something sim’lar, but Josef Goebbels has no balls at all.” (0:35)

Maggie tells Amelia, “I didn’t know about manic depression... Everybody was having nervous breakdowns.” (0:37)

Maggie: “Why are we yelling and being so grumpy?” (0:40)

Cam tells Maggie, “We haven’t slept together since before my breakdown.” (0:41)

Cam tells the girls, “I’m depressed.” (0:56)

Cam tells the girls, referring to their friends, “Tell them, your father’s manic-depressive or bipolar, whatever they’re calling it these days.” (0:58)

Amelia corrects Faith and tells their friends, referring to Cam, “Bipolar; he’s manic-depressive.” (0:59)

Amelia tells Maggie, “If it makes you feel better, I’ll tell people I’m black, even if they think I’m delusional.” (1:01)

By telephone Maggie asks Cam, “Are you taking your lithium?”
Cam: ”Actually, I haven’t taken my lithium since you left.” (1:06)

Maggie: “You promised you would take your lithium, Cam.”
Cam: “I’d like to say one thing about lithium, if you don’t mind... The same goes for Haldol, Thorazine and valproic acid, and all the rest of their so-called treatments.... I’m an idiot... self-destructive...” (1:08)

Cam rages in the office of a relative. (1:11)

Cam takes his lithium.
He tells Maggie, “I jumped in the Charles River.” Suicide attempt? (1:12)