Wanda (1970)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Barbara Loden

Writer:

Barbara Loden (writer)

Release Date:

August 2004 (Portugal)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In grim, rust-belt Pennsylvania, Wanda is down and out. She works sporadically, has abandoned her husband and children...

Plot Keywords:

Bar | On The Road | Pennsylvania | Anomie | Bank Robbery

Cast

Barbara Loden	...	Wanda Goronski
Michael Higgins	...	Norman Dennis
Dorothy Shupenes	...	Wanda's Sister
Peter Shupenes	...	Brother In Law
Jerome Thier	...	John
Marian Thier	...	Miss Godek
Anthony Rotell	...	Tony
M.L. Kennedy	...	Judge
Gerald Grippo	...	Court Clerk
Milton Gittleman	...	Factory Owner
Lila Gittleman	...	His Wife
Arnold Kanig	...	Traveling Salesman
Joe Dennis	...	Joe
Charles Dosinan	...	Father
Jack Ford	...	Mr. Anderson

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:AA | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Carbondale, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Foundation for Filmakers

Quotes:

Norman Dennis: If you don't want anything you won't have anything, and if you don't have anything, you're as good as dead.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Mike Douglas Show: (1972-02-15)" (1972)

Unique

It begins with the office clerk telling Wanda she is "too slow in every working process". Wanda loses her job. Her husband also doesn't want her anymore. He wants the divorce and the children. Wanda is asked by the judge if she agrees with the divorce. She says it doesn't matter. Wanda makes a journey. She goes to the cinema, meets a guy, sleeps with him and he leaves her. The movie goes on.

Wanda goes into a bar. There is no barkeeper but a robber who ties the barkeeper. He tells Wanda to leave. She stays. The man, Mr. Dennis, takes her into his apartment. There is something like a relationship that develops between Mr. Dennis and Wanda though Mr. Dennis is very rude. He plans a bigger robbery. Wanda wants to help.

Barbara Lodens "Wanda" is a road movie on the road to nowhere. Wanda wants to be part of something and she doesn't know of what. In her eyes we can see the whole emptiness of a not self-determined woman's life. There is not much hope, the last picture of the movie is frozen.