Faces (1968)

A middle-aged man leaves his wife for another woman. Shortly after, his ex-wife also begins a relationship with a younger partner. The film follows their struggles to find love amongst each other.

Director:

John Cassavetes

Writer:

John Cassavetes

Stars:

John Marley, Gena Rowlands, Lynn Carlin

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Marley	...	Richard Forst
Gena Rowlands	...	Jeannie Rapp
Lynn Carlin	...	Maria Forst
Fred Draper	...	Freddie Draper
Seymour Cassel	...	Chet
Val Avery	...	Jim McCarthy
Dorothy Gulliver	...	Florence
Joanne Moore Jordan	...	Louise Draper
Darlene Conley	...	Billy Mae
Gene Darfler	...	Joe Jackson
Elizabeth Deering	...	Stella
Ann Shirley	...	(as Anne Shirley)
Dave Mazzie
Anita White
Julie Gambol

Storyline

Richard Forst has grown old. One night, he leaves his wife for Jeannie Rapp, a young woman who does not like friendship. Meanwhile, Richard's wife, Maria, is seduced by Chet, a kind young man from Detroit... A film about the meaningless of life for a certain kind of wealthy middle-aged people.

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | marriage | love | happiness | divorce | 

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Taglines:

The Acclaimed Motion Picture

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film has said to have inspired the work of such film directors as Woody Allen and Robert Altman.

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Quotes

Richard Forst: What is it that, that weighs five thousand pounds and it's got a stick through it? A hippo popsicle.

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Connections

Remade as Faces (2011)

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Soundtracks

Strip Polka
Written by Johnny Mercer

User Reviews

Intimate, exposed performances that break down the fourth wall

This film is one of the supreme masterworks of all of American cinema. It is absolutely essential. Yes, it is "difficult." Yes, it is "slow." But those standards are for enterainment. Cassavetes wants to take us out of our ordinary ways of viewing. He wants to deny us the escapism of "entertainment." That's the point. If you have trouble with this film--good! If you find it infuriating--good! If you find it not entertaining--good! It wants to get under your skin. It wants to shake you up.

It is a deep exploration of manhood in America, of the power games that men play with women, and of the other kinds of games women victimize themselves with. Deeper than Citizen Kane, more abrasive than Magnolia or American Beauty, Faces turns the camera on the ordinary, everyday ways men and women treat each other. It wants to get under your skin, and if you allow it to, without giving up or shutting your mind to it, it will profoundly enlighten you.

I also want to highly recommend a stunning book about Cassavetes that makes a nice companion piece to a viewing of the film. Ray Carney's Cassavetes on Cassavetes book (or his web site devoted to Cassavetes) has almost 100 pages about the making of this film. Both throw more light on how Cassavetes got the amazingly intimate and exposed performances he did.

But trust me, this film can change your life. It is one of the greatest works of art in all of film. And the resistance it meets with is proof of it

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 1968 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Dynosaurs

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$275,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1