A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

Director:

John Cassavetes

Writer:

John Cassavetes (written by)

Release Date:

18 November 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

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:

Marriage | Fight | Unfaithfulness | Singing | Mental Breakdown

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 9 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 Labyorteaux	...	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
Vincent Barbi	...	Gino (as Vince Barbi)
Cliff Carnell	...	Aldo
Frank Richards	...	Adolph
Hugh Hurd	...	Willie Johnson
Leon Wagner	...	Billy Tidrow
Dominique Davalos	...	Dominique Jensen
Xan Cassavetes	...	Adrienne Jensen
Pancho Meisenheimer	...	John Jensen
Sonny Aprile	...	Aldo
Ellen Davalos	...	Nancy
Joanne Moore Jordan	...	Muriel
John Hawker	...	Joseph Morton
Sylvester Words	...	James Turner (as Sil Words)
Elizabeth Deering	...	Angela
Jackie Peters	...	Tina
Elsie Ames	...	Principal
N.J. Cassavetes	...	Adolph

Directed by
John Cassavetes

Writing credits
John Cassavetes		(written by)

Produced by
Sam Shaw	....	producer

Original Music by
Bo Harwood

Cinematography by
Mitch Breit		(uncredited)
Al Ruban		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
David Armstrong
Sheila Viseltear

Art Direction by
Phedon Papamichael

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Corrick	....	first assistant director
Roger Slager	....	second assistant director
Gary Graver	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Steve Hitter	....	graphics
Kevin Joyce	....	props

Sound Department
Michael Denecke	....	sound mixer (as Henry Michael Denecke)
Nick Spaulding	....	boom operator (as Nick Spalding)
Bo Harwood	....	sound (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mitch Breit	....	in charge of lighting (as Mitchell Breit)
Cliff Carnell	....	key grip
Merv Dayan	....	lighting technician
Caleb Deschanel	....	additional photographer
Frederick Elmes	....	assistant camera (as Fred Elmes)
Michael Ferris	....	camera operator (as Mike Ferris)
Gary Graver	....	additional camera operator
David V. Lester	....	gaffer (as David Lester)
David B. Nowell	....	camera operator (as David Nowell)
Leslie Otis	....	assistant camera
Anthony R. Palmieri	....	assistant camera (as Tony Palmieri)
Larry Silver	....	assistant camera
Bo Taylor	....	lighting technician
Chris Taylor	....	lighting technician
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer: special assignment (uncredited)
R. Michael Stringer	....	additional photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carole K. Smith	....	wardrobe (as Carole Smith)

Editorial Department
Tom Cornwell	....	supervising editor
Robert Heffernan	....	executive in charge of post-production

Other crew
Elaine Goren	....	continuity
Carole K. Smith	....	production secretary (as Carole Smith)

Production Companies

• Faces

Distributors

• Faces International (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (For Touchstone Home Video)
• Starz / Anchor Bay (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2012) (Germany) (DVD) (John Cassavetes Collection)
• Touchstone Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• American Film Institute (AFI)  thanks

Also Known As:

Runtime:

155 min | USA:146 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Faces

Trivia:

Cassavetes initially wrote the film as a play but Gena Rowlands talked him out of it, stating that the role would be far too harrowing and exhausting to play night after night.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the scene at the end of the film when Nick and Mabel are putting the children to bed, the boom mic is visible on the left side of the screen poking out from behind the door frame just after Nick exits the room and Mabel is about to turn off the light.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: Episode #19.4" (2006)

Brava, Mabel!

Everyone views movies differently. I for one didn't think we were meant to wonder who was crazier Mabel or her husband. Cassavetes makes a strong, bold (and rarely voiced) point...it is the husband! Mabel loved her children, loved to dance and sing and for that she was committed. Her "unidentified mental illness" seems to intensify when her husband mistreated her and was physically or verbally violent...in my opinion going a bit crazy after someone slaps you is probably healthier and saner than being polite, demure, and rational.

Mabel loves life, shows her love without apology, and is severely punished for it. Everyone else in the movie struggles to calm everyone down and avoid showing too much emotion. While this may be more socially acceptable it isn't sane or even healthy. Humans are emotional beings...I for one say Brava! Mabel.

I think the director tips his hand and proves his point when Mabel's character comes home from the institution. She hasn't seen her children, husband, and family for 6 months and people assault her, some she has never even met, before she even leaves the car. When she does get inside the safety of her own home the people who put her away and told to forget the past greet her with small talk and politeness! Then when she finally sees her children after being told to "wait a minute" she says to herself that she wants to remain calm and show "no emotions." It seems obvious that this is a perfectly acceptable time to be emotional but fresh from the institution she know being normal doesn't allow you to be emotional. Emotions are scary, messy, and inconvenient and I for one am thrilled that John Cassavetes didn't shy away from them.

This movie is a true original.