A Woman Under the Influence (1974) or, Family Dysfunction

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A chaotic and stressful poster for John Cassavetes' A Woman Under the Influence, giving a taste of its title character's state of mind

Mabel is a mother of three and of a nervous disposition, perhaps manic-depressive. Her husband has her committed, but he is himself no good single parent. 6 months later she returns home.

 
Some time lapse before you get into the manic characters of A Woman Under the Influence, - for the husband is nearly as mad as Mabel; overwrought, yelling and tyrannical. It is the 7th feature from New-Yorker master filmmaker, writer/director John Cassavetes (Shadows (1958)).
Peter Falk (The Balcony (1963)) and Cassavetes' real-life wife Gena Rowlands (Tempest (1982)) deliver a master class in acting, and Cassavetes also succeeded in getting real and shattering performances out of the three child actors and the rest of the cast here. The result is a uniquely intense study of dysfunction in a modern family, who are trying all they can to be just that.
A Woman Under the Influence is a a tough emotional roller coaster, a landmark in American film and in independent film, SPOILER and it has, - thank God! - a hopeful ending. It is perhaps Cassavetes best film, a sheer masterpiece.

 

Related posts:

John Cassavetes: Gloria (1980) - Rowlands in Cassavetes' tough-woman thriller is a winner (writer/director)

The Fury (1978) - De Palma's telekinetic powers run amuck! (co-starring actor) 

Top 10: Best dramas reviewed by Film Excess to date 
A Woman Under the Influence (1974) or, Family Dysfunction (writer/director)

Faces (1968) or, John Cassavetes' LA Misery circa 1968 (writer/director)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) - Aldrich's rough WWII super-entertainment (co-starring actor)
Edge of the City (1957) - Poitier gleams in Ritt's idealistic debut (co-starring actor)

 

Watch the original theatrical trailer for the film here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: Reportedly 13.3 mil. $ (North America only)
= Unknown - but likely a mega-hit

[A Woman Under the Influence premiered 12 October (New York Film Festival) and runs 155 minutes. Cassavetes wrote the film for Rowlands as 'vengeance' for her asking him to write something for her. Originally a play, it was altered into a film script, because Rowlands had balked that it would be too intense and exhausting to perform again and again on the stage. Shooting took place from November 1972 in Los Angeles, lasting 13 weeks with a shoestring budget and film students working in most production functions. Financing came together from Cassavetes taking a mortgage in their home and help from friends, including from co-star Falk. Cassavetes reportedly spent 750k $ to distribute the film, a lengthy and costly labor since no major distributor would pick up the film. Initially driving around with the film reels himself, the film would eventually earn rentals of over 6 mil. $ in North America, and a reported gross of 13.3 mil. $. The gross numbers from the film's seemingly limited life in foreign markets are regrettably unknown. If made on a realistic 1 mil. $ budget, the film would rank as a mega-hit. Richard Dreyfuss added to the film's hype when he raved about it in an interview and shared that it had made him go home and vomit due to its intensity. The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: It lost Best Director to Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather: Part II and Actress to Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. It won 1/4 Golden Globe nominations and 2 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Cassavetes returned with The Killing of A Chinese Bookie (1976). Rowlands returned in Marcus Welby, M.D. (1974, TV-series), Columbo (1975, TV-series) and theatrically in Two-Minute Warning (1976); Falk in Griffin and Phoenix (1976, TV movie) and theatrically in Murder by Death (1976). A Woman Under the Influence is fresh at 90 % with an 8.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of A Woman Under the Influence?