John Cassavetes's 'A Woman Under the Influence' (1974)
Her Head in Films
English - June 17, 2018 05:10 - 2 hours - 93.3 MB - ★★★★★ - 59 ratingsTV & Film Arts film cinema films movies tv & film Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
In this episode, I explore Gena Rowlands's raw and uncompromising performance as Mabel Longhetti in John Cassavetes's 1974 film, "A Woman Under the Influence." Mabel is a woman struggling with mental illness and coming apart in the midst of family turmoil. I talk about why Cassavetes's work was so groundbreaking and provide details about his and Rowlands's relationship. The heart of the episode is my in-depth analysis of Rowlands's acting in the film and why I think she gives one of the greatest performances of all time. I also talk about my recent move, my own struggle with mental illness, the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, and I expand on my previous ideas about a Cinema of the Unruly Woman.
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Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan
Full show notes:
Listen to Episodes Mentioned:
House of Sand and Fog
The Piano Teacher
Vagabond
Dog Lady and Notes on a Cinema of the Unruly Woman
Wanda
More about the HBO documentary, A Dangerous Son
John Cassavetes Interviews and Research:
Gena Rowlands Interviews: