A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

John Cassavetes

Writer:

John Cassavetes (written by)

Release Date:

18 November 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Fight | Marriage | Dinner Guest | Mental Illness | Child Nudity

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

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

Runtime:

155 min | USA:146 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 | Brazil:12 | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1992) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

1741 N. Taft Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Faces

Trivia:

Last film of Elsie Ames.

Goofs:

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.

Quotes:

Mabel Longhetti: All of a sudden, I miss everyone...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Cassavettes – The Anti-Hollywood

A man goes into a big, strange house with his family and friends. He is armed with script and camera, and proceeds to create a milestone work of American cinema – the key film of the 1970s. Above all else, `A Woman Under the Influence' is Anti-Hollywood, Anti-Establishment, Anti-Film. 1970's Hollywood may have defined itself with films like Godfather, Rocky, Annie Hall, and Deer Hunter – but real, unpredictable, chaotic life was Cassavettes' territory. Fact is, Hollywood will never be ready for uninhibited Mabel and her much crazier husband Nick. Nutty as she is, Mabel/Cassavettes does nothing but tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but. Hollywood at best, tells persuasive lies. So…, to get Hollywood ready for the Gospel of Cassavettes, the first thing that must happen is to banish the entire FX community; ship ‘em to Alcatraz where they can make blockbuster cartoons for each other. Second – the writers, directors and producers of said cartoons can go Vegas and try to `leave.' Those who remain will be entrusted with putting complex human beings who inhabit interesting lives and situations on the screen – not `role models' who traipse through neatly-plotted, highly-improbable, beautifully photographed, committee-designed plots. Get my point? By the way, Gena Rowlands in "Influence" gives one of the finest performances of the sound era. See this film. See it now. Right now.