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A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
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Overview
Release Date:
18 November 1974 (USA) morePlot:
Mabel, a wife and mother, is loved by her husband Nick but her madness proves to be a problem in the marriage. The film transpires to a positive role of madness in the family, challenging conventional representations of madness in cinema. full summary | add synopsisAwards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 4 nominations moreUser Comments:
Brava, Mabel! moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Peter Falk | ... | Nick Longhetti | |
| Gena Rowlands | ... | Mabel Longhetti | |
| Fred Draper | ... | George Mortensen | |
| Lady Rowlands | ... | Martha Mortensen | |
| Katherine Cassavetes | ... | Margaret Longhetti | |
| Matthew Laborteaux | ... | Angelo Longhetti | |
| Matthew Cassel | ... | Tony Longhetti | |
| Christina Grisanti | ... | Maria Longhetti | |
| O.G. Dunn | ... | Garson Cross | |
| Mario Gallo | ... | Harold Jensen | |
| Eddie Shaw | ... | Dr. Zepp | |
| Angelo Grisanti | ... | Vito Grimaldi | |
| Charles Horvath | ... | Eddie | |
| James Joyce | ... | Bowman | |
| John Finnegan | ... | Clancy |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
155 min | USA:146 min (TCM print)Country:
USAColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
Norway:16 | Brazil:12 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1992) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:RMOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Cassavetes initially wrote the film as a play but Gena Rowlands talked him out of it, stating that the role would be far too harrowing and exhausting to play night after night. moreGoofs:
Continuity: When Nick pulls up to the construction site in his pick up truck, the truck comes to a complete stop in the wide shot. In the close-up on the opposite side of the truck, it's still moving. moreFAQ
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Everyone views movies differently. I for one didn't think we were meant to wonder who was crazier Mabel or her husband. Cassavetes makes a strong, bold (and rarely voiced) point...it is the husband! Mabel loved her children, loved to dance and sing and for that she was committed. Her "unidentified mental illness" seems to intensify when her husband mistreated her and was physically or verbally violent...in my opinion going a bit crazy after someone slaps you is probably healthier and saner than being polite, demure, and rational.
Mabel loves life, shows her love without apology, and is severely punished for it. Everyone else in the movie struggles to calm everyone down and avoid showing too much emotion. While this may be more socially acceptable it isn't sane or even healthy. Humans are emotional beings...I for one say Brava! Mabel.
I think the director tips his hand and proves his point when Mabel's character comes home from the institution. She hasn't seen her children, husband, and family for 6 months and people assault her, some she has never even met, before she even leaves the car. When she does get inside the safety of her own home the people who put her away and told to forget the past greet her with small talk and politeness! Then when she finally sees her children after being told to "wait a minute" she says to herself that she wants to remain calm and show "no emotions." It seems obvious that this is a perfectly acceptable time to be emotional but fresh from the institution she know being normal doesn't allow you to be emotional. Emotions are scary, messy, and inconvenient and I for one am thrilled that John Cassavetes didn't shy away from them.
This movie is a true original.