Heart and Havoc: Uncompromising Brilliance from Cassavetes and Rowlands
A Woman Under the Influence offers an opportunity to explore one of the most emotionally potent films of the 1970s. Directed by John Cassavetes, a trailblazer in independent cinema, the film quickly became renowned for its raw and unflinching portrayal of domestic life and mental illness. Cassavetes, whose improvisational style and commitment to character-driven narratives broke away from Hollywood’s conventional methods, created this film and wrote the part for his wife Gena Rowlands, as part of a larger movement towards more personal filmmaking. It gave a huge boost to independent film, as it relied only on private financing, including contributions from friends and family.
At the core of the film is the remarkable performance of Gena Rowlands as Mabel, a housewife grappling with emotional instability and societal expectations. Rowlands delivers a performance so deeply affecting that it earned her an Academy Award nomination. Peter Falk, known widely for his role as TV detective Columbo, plays Mabel’s husband. His love for her is evident, but so is his frustration as he struggles to navigate her unpredictable behavior. Falk’s portrayal adds complexity to the film, highlighting the tension between love and the desire to control or “fix” the one you love.
The film’s unique approach defies traditional film theory and storytelling techniques. It was co-written by Cassavettes and Rowlands, and much was improvised on set. As the Criterion Collection notes, “Films like A Woman Under the Influence defy a century’s worth of film theory, screenwriting tips, and film school orthodoxy. In Cassavetes, every blink, every shrug, every hesitation counts and drives the story forward.” This focus on the smallest gestures creates a sense of realism that is both immersive and unsettling.
One of the most compelling aspects of the film is its refusal to provide easy answers about responsibility and morality within the narrative. The film presents Mabel's mental instability not as a clear-cut case of individual failure but as a complex interplay of personal, familial, and societal factors. Another example is Nick, Mabel’s husband. Nick’s character oscillates between love and frustration, protection and control. He genuinely cares for Mabel, yet his attempts to help her are often oppressive and even brutal. Is Nick a good guy trying to support his wife, or is he a bad guy whose actions contribute to her unraveling? The film doesn’t provide a definitive answer, but asks us to reflect on the blurred lines between love, control, and responsibility in relationships.
The greatness of A Woman Under the Influence lies, among other things, in its portrayal of mental illness as a pervasive, shared affliction that touches all lives. Everyone in the film teeters on the edge of madness. Even her father, silently battling dementia, reminds us that Mabel is not just a curious specimen for us to contemplate, but that mental decline is an inevitable part of the human condition. Our minds are fragile, our lives unpredictable, and our sense of self can easily unravel. This observation is not original, but Gena Rowlands’ unforgettable embodiment of this terrifying truth has rarely been equaled in cinema.