Christine Chubbuck (1944-1974)

On  July 15, 1974, news reporter Christine Chubbuck committed suicide, on air, by shooting herself in the head.  Her following statement took place after reading the news:  “In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in blood and guts and in living color, you are going to see another first.  An attempted suicide.”

Actress Rebecca Hall as Christine Chubbuck

“Christine” is a 2016 film, a docudrama detailing the last days of Ms. Chubbuck.  Actress Rebecca Hall had only fifteen minutes of surviving video left to work with.  (The video was from “Suncoast Digest”; the Sarasota, Florida news program she hosted.)

How accurate “Christine” is, is something only Ms. Chubbuck would know.  Her fellow co-workers would detail what happened, but ask yourself, if your life was put on film by those who knew you, would they get it right?

PLOT.  Christine Chubbuck, 29, works for a small TV-news station.  She seems to strive for excellence, yet can’t get along with her boss…or anyone else.  She has few friends, no boyfriends, no social life and feels unfulfilled.  She lives with her mother who has a boyfriend.  The mother can’t help, except to offer advice or a return to psychiatric care.  (Christine had attempted suicide four years earlier.)

A trip to the doctor finds a cyst on her ovaries.  The doctor tells her she needs an operation, leaving Christine with only a few years left to conceive.

Christine’s love interest is a fellow newscaster, who as it turns out, is having an affair with her best friend.  When she finds out, the die is cast.

Much can be said about this true story.. that it’s emblematic of modern women with a career, but no love life or family of their own.  In the world we live in, some people can’t survive or adapt to modern times.

For me, those who knew Christine failed her.  They didn’t give of themselves.  They weren’t available.  Why she took herself out in such a public way – live and on television – only Christine can answer.

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