A Woman Under the Influence - John Cassavetes (1974)

„Mabel is not crazy, she's unusual. She's not crazy, so don't say she's crazy.”

Nope!... John Cassavetes is not just any director, and A Woman Under the Influence is far from being a truly important film, but it contains one of the most meritorious attempts ever undertaken in cinema, so no cinephile with aspirations should miss watching it. He was a very good actor, an interesting screenwriter, and as a film director, he managed modestly. The history of art also remembers him as an esteemed instructor at the dramatization workshop, rated as a competent and diligent teacher.

Without great pretensions, Cassavetes approached film production as a personal and family business, predominantly treating it from its economic perspective (which is why we always find him surrounded only by close relatives, friends, and people from his immediate circle).

As honest critics today rightly point out, his orientations towards the proposed directions of the new wave, as well as his firm alignment with the cinema verite trend, were not artistic choices but commercial ones: after accumulating a significant fortune (at the time standards), circulating money through the well-known circuits was a common practice in all fields, and the advantages offered by lowering the competitive stakes in cinema through abandoning strict rules presented a huge opportunity for any entrepreneur.

So, how did his name endure in the gallery of reference characters?

Through the ambition, ingenuity, and investigative spirit of the artist Cassavetes. Through his tenacity and the strength of accumulated experience, but mostly through the presence of a certain sense of the scene, so rare and so little encountered in its authentic form. Not least, through the courage to confront a gigantic system from the position of amateurism, which, however, cannot be solely responsible for Cassavetes' "exemplary mobilization," as has been maliciously claimed this time.

The obsession with the wretched condition of contemporary women is what underlies the story in A Woman Under the Influence, and not just that, but also the real problems in the marriage life of Gena Rowlands/John Cassavetes, which has entered into a labyrinthine crisis with many and frequent outbursts. The entire plot is nothing but a diathesis between family, marriage, and madness.

The film initially aimed to capture a series of incidents that frequently occur in an advanced marriage, which is why the script in its first form found no receptivity among Hollywood producers, where the response received was always the same: "No one wants to see a crazy, middle-aged dame."

And it's a good thing it happened that way because otherwise, no producer would have let them have their way, neither the on-the-spot solutions nor the deviations nor, more precisely, the script's slides into something completely different from what was intended.

Because Cassavetes' formula consists of carefully choosing a direction, outlining only a few characters, and broadly describing a conflict, relying then on spontaneity and improvisation... that's it. The recipe continues with the director's withdrawal to the position of an impartial witness recording events unfolding from their mere fabric, but not anyhow, but through a selective attitude discreetly oriented towards a predetermined direction of action.

It's interesting to note how John Cassavetes managed to use his limited resources to create such a powerful and impactful film like "A Woman Under the Influence". The fact that he used his own house as a production location, familiar actors as cast members, and borrowed equipment wherever possible, speaks to his resourcefulness and determination to bring his vision to life. Many of the scenes had to wait for weeks on end for the availability of equipment, and the majority of the shooting took place in borrowed locations such as a friend's bar or using set decorations prepared by other directors for different purposes. Additionally, the main actor, Peter Falk, had to financially support the project at one point to keep it from falling apart. Despite these challenges, Cassavetes was able to create a film that utilized the natural tension and emotional levels of the characters, particularly the excellent performances by Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk, to deliver a surprising and impactful story. Although Rowland's acting may have been at times forced or exaggerated, it effectively conveyed the emotional journey of her character. "A Woman Under the Influence" stands as a testament to Cassavetes' skill as a filmmaker and his ability to create compelling stories with limited resources.

The filming style of the film is characterized by handheld cameras, alternating angles, and a deliberate attempt at creating an elaborate yet exhausting and inadequate effect. The dialogues are captured in direct sound and improvised on the spot, utilizing the entire mise-en-scène of cinema vérité. One notable effect is the decision to film almost entirely in the same house, in the same room, creating a strong sense of claustrophobia in the audience, which is skillfully exploited by the narrative and the overall film.

While it is widely acknowledged that the film's runtime is excessively long (2 hours and 35 minutes), the entire artistic endeavor could easily fit within half the time it demands. Nonetheless, "A Woman Under the Influence" remains a unique cinematic achievement, and beyond its two Oscar nominations, it solidifies Cassavetes as a prominent pioneer of independent cinema and a reference figure in the realm of artistic exploration, where he constantly seeks and discovers new ways of expression