Love and Mania : A Look Closer at “A Woman Under the Influence.”
Indie Director John Cassavetes sets up a scenario in which gives us a look into the lives of family, who’s parental figures are both mentally dysfunctional in their own way. Their unstable mentalities affect not only the people they are around, but also their children and themselves. The film is searing and emotionally taxing, the conventional love story is thrown a curveball when the audience is presented with original characters like Nick and Mable. Due largely to the incredible raw performances from actors Gena Rowlands (Mable) and Peter Falk (Nick), Cassevette’s is able to present an unflinching look at the power of commitment and love under extraordinary pressure.
The main chunk of the film center’s around a kind hearted, yet emotionally insecure housewife Mabel Longhetti as she desperately tries to win her husband’s approval. The problem is that she is just a little “unusual” her husband Nick expresses to a co-worker of his, “She’s not crazy, just different.” It is apparent throughout the film that Mabel, played by Gena Rowlands, suffers from some kind of psychological issue, however it is never discussed. It is however, demonstrated through her strange gestural mannerisms and her awkward social personality. Nick Longhetti, played by Peter Falk, is a construction worker, who doesn’t have as much a problem functioning in society as he does at home. He tries to be a good father and we can see that he really does love his family, but he just has trouble being there for them all the time. He brings his work friend’s home at random times for dinner and other events and at one occasion he even tries to take his children to the beach, but it was uncomfortable and you could tell that no-one was having a good time. The biggest problems come about half way into the film when Mabel has some sort of a mental breakdown, which ultimately leads reluctant Nick to send her to a mental hospital to get better. The film proposes that Mable has always been unstable; Nick has never known her any other way. He loves her, truly loves her, even in light of his and her flaws. It’s an original approach to the time worn, typical love story.
The film really shines in the performances by Falk and Rowlands. It is said that Cassevette’s highly enjoyed the art of improvisation on his films, and from his actors. That being said, in this film, it is impossible to tell the difference between improvisation and the scripted word. The film benefits greatly from this style of filmmaking, along with the documentary-like cinematography, the film packs an unrestrained punch of authenticity and realism that leaves you feeling emotionally depleted and stressed at the end.
We think the film overall achieves success in bringing the directors idea out. It’s well put together, especially for an independent film with a considerably low budget. Both Rowland’s and Falk’s performances in the film are compelling and work together so well that the tension that is so apparent between Mabel and Nicks characters feels genuine. It’s easy to get caught up in their conflict and feel the emotions that the characters are feeling. You can sense that Nick is very troubled because he wants things to work and we can relate to his frustration when they don’t. Also we can’t help but feel uncomfortable and even maybe sympathetic when Mabel does something awkward that we know is going to make her look strange to others or upset her husband. There is irony that comes about in the plot after Mabel is sent to the mental hospital, where now Nick, is forced to try and take care of his children by himself and we find out that he is just as bad, if not worse, then his wife is at doing it. And, he’s not even the wacky one. The title A Woman Under the Influence presents its own interesting meaning as well. Perhaps Cassavetes is trying to say that mental illness is like a drug itself, for they can have similar consequences?
We did enjoy the film and would recommend it as a must see. Cassavetes is obviously an extremely talented writer and director who puts a lot of thought into his dialogue and plot, but at the same time makes it feel very improved. I thought this was an interesting change on things, however, I felt that there were a lot of scenes that dragged on with small talk and simple un-needed dialogue. John Cassevette’s reminds us why he is considered such a maverick of the 70’s. While many other of his contemporaries were borrowing from so many of the New Wave filmmakers, Cassevette’s was able to carve out his own niche for himself with his particular style. This film is surely among the best of John Cassevette’s, as well as the films stars, Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk. As of 1990, this film was put into preservation at the U.S. National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”, we think it deserves it.
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