Documentary explores Cary Grant's hidden life on Sky Arte

A documentary titled "Cary Grant ‒ Dietro lo specchio" airs on Sky Arte HD on Tuesday, October 10, revealing hidden aspects of the legendary actor's personality. Directed by Mark Kidel, the film offers an unprecedented perspective on Cary Grant, born Archibald Alexander Leach. It delves into his difficult childhood: at age eleven, his father committed his mother to a psychiatric institution without telling him, causing deep emotional trauma. Grant later underwent experimental LSD therapy, becoming one of the first patients to use the psychedelic drug in psychiatric treatment. Over more than one hundred sessions, he revisited his life to exorcise his mother's abandonment, eventually declaring himself "close to happiness." The documentary combines Grant's own reflections, film clips, and never-before-seen home movies shot by Grant himself. It features testimonies from critic David Thomson and professor Mark Glancy, with actor Jonathan Pryce voicing Grant's words. The soundtrack is composed by Bristol musicians including Portishead and The Insects.