Gloria (1980)

Director:

John Cassavetes

Writer:

John Cassavetes (writer)

Release Date:

19 September 1980 (West Germany)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

She attempted to beat the mob at their own game.

Plot:

Jack Dawn and his family are eliminated by the mob, because he was their accountant and was keeping a personal copy of their records...

Plot Keywords:

New York City | Neighbor | Puerto Rican | Witness | Murder

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Julie Carmen	...	Jeri Dawn
Gena Rowlands	...	Gloria Swenson
John Adames	...	Phil Dawn
Tony Knesich	...	1st Man / Gangster
Gregory Cleghorne	...	Kid in Elevator
Buck Henry	...	Jack Dawn
Lupe Garnica	...	Margarita Vargas
Jessica Castillo	...	Joan Dawn
Tom Noonan	...	2nd Man / Gangster
Ronald Maccone	...	3rd Man / Gangster
George Yudzevich	...	Heavy Set Man
Gary Howard Klar	...	Irish cop (as Gary Klar)
William E. Rice	...	TV Newscaster
Frank Belgiorno	...	Riverside Drive Man #5
J.C. Quinn	...	Riverside Drive Man #4

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Peru:18 | UK:15 (video rating) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The title character's name Gloria Swenson, is almost identical to that of actress Gloria Swanson.

Quotes:

[In a bar]
Gloria Swenson: There's reasons I can't turn and just look, but is there a little kid headed in here or across the street or whatever?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006) (TV)

An American Classic

There must be a million woman like Gloria. They never got educated but they're smart. They're good looking, but not enough to get that gangster boyfriend to leave his wife. They hostess or maybe they just are table dressing for as long as they can. They make enough to have a decent apartment, and they hock the gift jewelry and furs and stick the money in a safe deposit box for the day they just can't do it any more. Can't smile and nod and be sweet, and the goombas look to the younger girls for attention. They try to keep quiet and keep their nose clean and ignore the young punks that treat them a little worse every year.

But life can mess up your plans, as it does for Gloria when it dumps an orphaned kid in her lap and some of her p***ed gangster pals at her door. And the decision she makes to save the kid's life means she can never go back.

"Gloria" isn't really about stuff like violence or mobsters or guns at all. It's about the hopes and wishes and loneliness of a life that represents the lives of many invisible woman. Gloria has always been a "broad" as she says. Never the Madonna, to be worshipped and respected. Always the Whore to be stepped on. And it sucks to be at the mercy and whim of men. Especially cruel, stupid thugs who don't have the brains or guts to do anything but lie, cheat, steal, and kill women and children.

Gloria reluctantly gives up her old life. She gave years of her life to these slobs and she doesn't want to lose the little she got for her troubles. She just wants peace and quiet and to be left alone. Why give it up to help some annoying kid?

But when she makes the decision to do just that, her rage and resentment explode.

Gena Rowlands gives a flawless performance that burns bright and makes the viewer feel the rage of those who hide their intelligence and personality and try to "get by" in a world of lesser men. Gloria's got more balls and brains than any of the suits that run the racket. And now she's going to prove it.

"Gloria" is what happens when adults make movies for adults. No childish chatter, no idealized and airbrushed world, no moralizing and preaching. This movie has blood in its veins.