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Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Original title: Mujeres al borde de un ataque de "nervios"
  • 1988
  • R
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
49K
YOUR RATING
Carmen Maura and Julieta Serrano in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown: Life Is Not A Bed Of Roses
Play clip1:18
Watch Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown: Life Is Not A Bed Of Roses
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99+ Photos
Dark ComedyFarceComedyDrama

A television actress encounters a variety of eccentric characters after embarking on a journey to discover why her lover abruptly left her.A television actress encounters a variety of eccentric characters after embarking on a journey to discover why her lover abruptly left her.A television actress encounters a variety of eccentric characters after embarking on a journey to discover why her lover abruptly left her.

  • Director
    • Pedro Almodóvar
  • Writers
    • Pedro Almodóvar
    • Jean Cocteau
  • Stars
    • Carmen Maura
    • Antonio Banderas
    • Julieta Serrano
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    49K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Pedro Almodóvar
    • Writers
      • Pedro Almodóvar
      • Jean Cocteau
    • Stars
      • Carmen Maura
      • Antonio Banderas
      • Julieta Serrano
    • 90User reviews
    • 70Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 22 wins & 24 nominations total

    Videos1

    Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown: Life Is Not A Bed Of Roses
    Clip 1:18
    Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown: Life Is Not A Bed Of Roses

    Photos109

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    Top cast35

    Edit
    Carmen Maura
    Carmen Maura
    • Pepa
    Antonio Banderas
    Antonio Banderas
    • Carlos
    Julieta Serrano
    Julieta Serrano
    • Lucía
    Rossy de Palma
    Rossy de Palma
    • Marisa
    María Barranco
    María Barranco
    • Candela
    Kiti Mánver
    Kiti Mánver
    • Paulina Morales
    • (as Kiti Manver)
    Guillermo Montesinos
    Guillermo Montesinos
    • Taxista
    Chus Lampreave
    Chus Lampreave
    • Portera Testiga de Jehová
    Eduardo Calvo
    Eduardo Calvo
    • Padre de Lucía
    • (as Yayo Calvo)
    Loles León
    Loles León
    • Secretaria
    Ángel de Andrés López
    Ángel de Andrés López
    • Policía I
    • (as Angel de Andrés-López)
    Fernando Guillén
    Fernando Guillén
    • Iván
    Juan Lombardero
    • Germán
    José Antonio Navarro
    • Policía II
    Ana Leza
    • Ana
    Ambite
    • Ambite
    Mary González
    • Madre Lucía
    Lupe Barrado
    • Secretaria Paulina
    • Director
      • Pedro Almodóvar
    • Writers
      • Pedro Almodóvar
      • Jean Cocteau
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Pedro Almodóvar and Carmen Maura's personal relationship was seriously damaged during the shooting, which Maura even defined as a "living hell". It took 18 years for them to work again, on Volver (2006).
    • Goofs
      Candela, while giving Pepa's rabbits water, comments to Carlos about how the rabbits love the turnips they're eating (in the English and French subtitles as well as in the original Spanish audio), but the only vegetables in the cage are leeks, and the rabbits aren't eating them.
    • Quotes

      Pepa: Hello. I'm the mother of the notorious Crossroads Killer. When my son comes home after one of his famous crimes, his clothes are just filthy.

      [Pepa holds up a bloody shirt. The police arrive]

      Policía I: Where are the clothes your son wore...

      Policía II: At the time of the murder?

      [Pepa takes a clean shirt out of the dryer]

      Pepa: Right here. Sparkling clean.

      Policía I: No trace of blood.

      Policía II: Or guts.

      Policía I: Unbelievable!

      [Pepa holds up a box of detergent]

      Pepa: Ecce Homo. It's unbelievable.

    • Connections
      Featured in Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Soy infeliz
      Written by Ventura Romero

      Performed by Lola Beltrán

    User reviews90

    Featured review

    I have never seen anything like this before.

    What does spiked gazpacho, a suitcase, and a crazy woman with a gun have in common? Not much, at first glance, unless you are in the head of director Pedro Almodovar. In his film Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios, Pedro mixes apparently unconnected objects and events that make no sense until the film is over. His direction and distinct style combined with good actors makes a movie as unforgettable as it is foreign. The basic plot deals with one day in the life of Pepa Marcos, played by Carmen Maura. During the day, we meet her lover, Ivan, who has a son, Carlos, whose girlfriend is Marisa, but like his father, Carlos is not loyal to Marisa but would rather kiss whoever walk in front of him, like Candela, Pepa's friend. All of the opposing motives create and tense mood, but besides everything is seems that Pepa knows what is going on and only worries about Ivan. The main subject is the destructive cycle of machismo and the women that are trapped by it. There are three girls and have fallen in love with one man that really doesn't love any of them, but only as temporary lovers. The tragedy is that the women don't realize this except Pepa who ends her relationships with Ivan. Even though she doesn't love Ivan anymore, we see with her conversation with Marisa, that she has not given up her love for machismo, but that she wants the telephone repairman. In my opinion, what makes this film good is the direction by Almodovar. I have never seen a style so distinct and interesting like his. The settings are familiar, but at the same time the colors create another world, like the world of Oz. One scene that captures this is when Pepa talks with Lucia on the phone and we can only see their faces and bright backgrounds. This is just a small example, but the attention to detail is the most important job to a director, and Almodovar has done it well. I recommend the move to anyone that wants to try something new, even though it was filmed in 1988. I think that anyone can relate to at least one role, especially because of the great acting. The film could give us a new look on our concept of love while keeping an open mind.
    • wenzelkm
    • Dec 15, 2005
    • Permalink

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 11, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Spain
    • Language
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Frauen am Rande des Nervenzusammenbruchs
    • Filming locations
      • Estudios Barajas - C/ de Campezo, 3, Madrid, Spain(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Laurenfilm
      • El Deseo
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $700,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,251,740
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,399
      • Aug 13, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,305,816
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Ultra Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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