As a film enthusiast with a keen eye for raw, authentic performances, I must say that John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands’ collaboration in “A Woman Under the Influence” is nothing short of a masterpiece. Their life experiences, passion, and sheer dedication to their craft are palpable on screen, making it an unforgettable cinematic experience.
In the film “A Woman Under the Influence,” it was the costume designer who prepared the spaghetti for the large breakfast sequence. At a certain moment, the script supervisor ended up handling the camera duties. A fresh graduate from college, brought in to help paint the set, unexpectedly took charge of the lighting department. As Elaine Kagan, one of the few individuals present since the movie’s inception, explains, “We all pitched in wherever needed,” transcribing John Cassavetes’s dialogue in shorthand while he paced around and smoked Marlboros.
Approximately fifty years ago, a film that cemented Gena Rowlands’ reputation as one of her generation’s most respected actresses emerged. This film, titled “A Woman Under the Influence,” is often associated with the type of low-budget, high-impact independent productions that thrive on resourcefulness. Made for around $1 million in 1974’s currency (with half reportedly provided by actor Peter Falk), John Cassavetes employed an immersive approach that required the cast and crew to wear multiple hats. Collaboration was vital in achieving the naturalism that makes this domestic drama so emotionally intense. A small group of passionate artists, working together in a two-story rental house off Hollywood Boulevard, created one of American cinema’s masterpieces. At the time, there was no distributor for the movie, and Sundance had not yet been established to support the independent film industry. Cassavetes relied on non-union professionals who understood that this project would not significantly boost their savings.
According to Mitchell Briet, the artist turned crew member who handled lighting on set, each day felt like a slice of heaven for him. He cherished going to work every day, and the team grew close. We didn’t realize at the time how significant our project would become, but we knew we were contributing to something we all loved, with these legendary actors bringing scenes to life right before our eyes. John and Gena appreciated that we were part of the team and that we weren’t earning a fortune.
In a surprising move, Mabel Longhetti (Rowlands), serves spaghetti to the coworkers that Nick (Falk) unexpectedly brings home following a late-night construction job instead of their planned romantic date. Despite this sudden intrusion, Mabel swiftly springs into action. The audience has already been made aware of her unstable psychological condition, making this meal a demonstration of her capability. She displays herself as a loving partner, a skillful cook, and a gracious hostess. However, when Nick reprimands her for excessive hospitality, we witness how fragile her composure can be in an instant.
The spaghetti the men eat around the Longhettis’ table is as crucial to understanding Mabel and Nick’s strained devotion as it is to capturing the dynamics of Cassavetes’ enterprise. Carole Smith, for example, has two official credits on the film, production secretary and wardrobe supervisor. Sometimes she was in the makeshift office upstairs doing administrative tasks, and other times she was sewing bits of Rowlands’ clothes. When Cassevetes needed someone to cook a vat of pasta, she stepped in to do that, too, with Kagan (officially the script supervisor) and others pitching in at Smith’s side.
According to Breit, Peter frequently altered his performance in this particular scene. There were numerous attempts, plenty of experimentation, and multiple camera angles involved. At that moment, we probably weren’t using two cameras; instead, just one was used. When John preferred to adjust the camera position, the lighting also needed to be adjusted, which added to the chaos. I recall the atmosphere being hectic.
During that period, Caleb Deschanel, an AFI graduate who later worked on films like “The Right Stuff” and “The Passion of the Christ,” served as the cinematographer. He had been tutored by Gordon Willis, a renowned cinematographer famed for the “Godfather” trilogy. According to Breit’s account, Deschanel’s conventional techniques often clashed with Cassavetes’ free-flowing innovations. “John and Caleb were not in sync,” Breit remembers. “John was accustomed to handling the camera. He had his own methods.” One day, Breit arrived at the house and Deschanel, along with much of the crew he’d hired, was absent. It was then that Cassavetes promoted the 22-year-old Breit to the role of gaffer, who is responsible for managing the lighting setup (Deschanel’s representative did not respond to Vulture’s request for comment).
In the play-turned-film that ultimately solidified their careers, Brecht and Kagan were privileged spectators to the joint masterpiece of Cassavetes and Rowlands. Originally conceived as a stage production, Cassavetes crafted the role with Rowlands in mind, but she found the prospect of eight emotionally taxing performances per week daunting. On-screen, it’s evident that Rowlands was subjected to a 155-minute emotional meltdown, making one wonder if she wasn’t truly losing her sanity at times. In 2016, Rowlands admitted, “I did enjoy being a bit eccentric in that film, but my husband accepted me for who I was, even when I was as unhinged as possible. It was tough to portray the breakdown and leave my husband and children, especially during that challenging scene.” The film depicts a difficult moment in a character’s life, an extremely hard moment indeed.
Kagan recalls the difficulty faced by Rowlands as she relived the dramatic scene in the living room where unstable Mabel attempted to fend off the psychiatrist hired by Nick to assess her mental health. In such tense moments, there were no options for a break or retreat. Despite this challenging situation, Kagan notes that Cassavetes and Rowlands shared an incredible understanding with each other.
As Kagan explains, “I found myself becoming emotional towards him, just like everyone else in our production. It felt as if all the characters’ feelings were mirrored by the actors themselves. Whenever I needed some personal space, I would retreat upstairs. However, the enchantment of our romantic storyline blended seamlessly into the project itself. The experience was both exhilarating and grueling, filled with endless hours on set. Carole Smith and I frequently communicated to secure last-minute shots for the next day’s filming. The level of intensity was thrilling, even when it left us feeling drained.
Despite the team breaking up post-production, the defiant essence of “A Woman Under the Influence” continued to resonate during its release. John Cassavetes, the director, brought on publicist Steve Jaffe, known for his work with Stanley Kramer, Stanley Kubrick, and other esteemed directors, at a significantly reduced rate compared to his usual fee of around $15,000 to $25,000. The movie was still without a distributor, so they operated out of a dimly lit office in a theater on Wilshire Boulevard. Cassavetes personally reached out to theaters in cities like Chicago and Dallas to screen the film directly. As Jaffe recalls, “Cassavetes had an uncommon passion for the arts that few others I worked for shared. He was much like Orson Welles; he had a huge ego, but his charisma was so compelling that you hardly noticed it.
In October 1974, the film “A Woman” made its debut at the New York Film Festival. Shortly after, John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, and Ben Gazzara took to Manhattan’s streets, posting flyers on lampposts and in bars to generate buzz for the upcoming release. They later gathered at Joe Allen in Midtown to read reviews printed in newspapers the next day. The film premiered in New York on November 18, with Cassavetes touring with it for nearly a year, conducting Q&A sessions in theaters and lectures at universities. In 1975, both Cassavetes and Rowlands were nominated for Oscars, albeit losing to Francis Ford Coppola and Ellen Burstyn respectively. Three years after Cassavetes’ passing, Touchstone Home Video released “A Woman Under the Influence” on VHS, prolonging its longevity. Today, it is a regular title in the Criterion Collection and often cited as an influential benchmark by actresses such as Kirsten Dunst, Laura Dern, Cate Blanchett, Dakota Johnson, Aubrey Plaza, Kathryn Hahn, Carrie Coon, Carmen Ejogo, Kristen Stewart, and Julie Delpy. The connection between “Influence” and the raw performances these actresses have delivered in recent films like “The Power of the Dog”, “Blue Jasmine”, and “The Nest” is evident.
According to Jaffe, there was a unique bond on this film unlike any other I’ve worked on before. John took immense pride in presenting the movie since it offered his wife the most significant role, and he adored her deeply. His affection for her was truly profound.
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2024-12-27 17:54