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Independent film pioneer John Cassavetes released A Woman Under the Influence 40 years ago today. The film not only earned his wife and lifelong collaborator Gena Rowlands an Oscar nod, but changed representation of mental illness in cinema forever.
Cassavetes’ cinema vérité filmmaking style had a distinct twist, which allowed his audiences to feel as if they’re watching a documentary rather than a buffed Hollywood production. Though its a common misconception his actors’ schizophrenic performances were improvised, Cassavetes was a thorough rehearser of detailed scripts. His actors, however, were encouraged to bring their own delivery to each production to make each character even more fully-realized.
For a man who was nominated back-to-back for Oscars in 1968 and 1969, it’s a wonder he didn’t utilize his Hollywood connections to make producing and completing his personal projects infinitely easier. If he wanted to make the kinds of films he did, major studios were out of the question. Cassavetes’ work was too disjointed and foreign compared to polished productions at the time, even in the dawn of New Hollywood cinema. What resulted was the work of a man and his longtime collaborators who understood how to accurately portray the struggles of the human existence — work that resonates half a century later.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of A Woman Under the Influence, we’re looking back on the definitive moments of Cassavetes’ diverse career in order of transcendence.
'Minnie and Moskowitz' (1971)
One of Cassavetes’ lighter directorial endeavors, the auteur trusted in his favorite collaborators, Rowlands and Seymour Cassel, to make this story of an extremely unlikely couple utterly believable. [Where to stream Minnie and Moskowitz]
'The Dirty Dozen' (1967)
Cassavetes earned an Oscar nod for his portrayal of soldier Victor Franko in classic the war-crime drama starring Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. The role propelled his career further just before the release of Rosemary’s Baby and earned him another respectable paycheck to get Faces out of post and into completion. [Where to stream The Dirty Dozen]
'Rosemary's Baby' (1968)
Being the onscreen aide to Mia Farrow and her devil baby helped finance future projects for Cassavetes. His starring in Roman Polanski’s horror classic solidified his place as an actor in the New Hollywood cinema that took over the late ’60s and early ’70s. Though if he were alive today, he might want to switch this out for something more true to his legend on his IMDb page. [Where to stream Rosemary’s Baby]
'Husbands' (1970)
A group of longtime friends mourns the loss of one of their own after his untimely death. Unable to pick up where they left off and carry with their wives and families as if everything is alright, together they ditch the lives they know and attempt to start fresh together. Cassavetes’ unprecedented depiction of manhood and masculinity was far ahead of its time in 1970, remaining one of his more underrated masterpieces. [Where to stream Husbands]
'The Killing of a Chinese Bookie' (1976)
A degenerate gambler is blackmailed into killing to pay his debts. Sure, that’s the gist of it. The real story, however, is about the women who work in the night clubs featured in the film: the lost, yet merciless women of after hours whom Cassavetes paints in an empathetic light rarely seen on screen. [Where to stream The Killing of a Chinese Bookie]
'Gloria' (1980)
Rowlands is the ultimate maternal heroine in Cassavetes’ poignant crack at an action-thriller. A young boy’s family is murdered by the mob, and his no-nonsense neighbor Gloria Swenson takes him under her wing, becoming his fearless protector. [Where to stream Gloria]
'Faces' (1968)
Two couples’ lives fall apart amidst a haze of booze and jazz. Faces‘ plot is simple: a middle-aged man (John Marley) tries to relieve his glory days by leaving his wife and finding a younger woman with whom to pass the time. Through drunken, winding conversations, it’s clear that marriage and relationships in general are far from the fairy tale presented to us on screen. [Where to stream Faces]
'Shadows' (1959)
Cassavetes’ first film was financed by the director emptying his pockets of the money he made acting in studio productions and bit parts on television series. He also rounded up friends and family to help make his dream a reality. Though Cassavetes was well-connected through MGM at the time, he feared they would change his story about the Beat-Era of New York City that defined the lives of musicians in the 1950s. [Where to stream Shadows]
'Opening Night' (1977)
Rowlands plays Myrtle, an aging stage actress obsessed with her youth, which literally comes back to haunt her in an obsessed fan. This essential behind-the-scenes story is a prime example of how Cassavetes truly brought out the very best in his actors. Every time Rowlands’Myrtle exits the fictional stage, we let out an exhaustive breath along with her, then feel her struggle to continuously amp herself up to keep doing what she used to love most. [Where to stream Opening Night]
'A Woman Under the Influence' (1974)
Arguably Cassavetes strongest direction, but undoubtedly his most transcendent film, A Woman Under the Influence is a pillar of American cinema you may never hear about, but surely see everywhere. Cassavetes took his time with his camera, allowing Gena Rowlands to give one of her rawest performances. Rowlands plays Mabel Longhetti, a wife and mother who should have it all together by society’s standards, but can’t help but feel as lost and pained as she does. Rowlands was revered for her role at the time, but Cassavetes’ story would go on to inspire countless progressive representations of mental illness in cinema. [Where to stream A Woman Under the Influence]
