Woman Under the Influence: Amazon.ca: Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, Fred Draper, Lady Rowlands, Katherine Cassavetes, Matthew Laborteaux, Matthew Cassel, Christina Grisanti, O.G. Dunn, Mario Gallo, Eddie Shaw, Angelo Grisanti, Al Ruban, Mitch Breit, John Cassavetes, David Armstrong, Sheila Viseltear, Sam Shaw: DVD

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A tough-minded, moving film about a working-class housewife's mental breakdown caused by imposed social rules. This insightful study of sexual politics earned both Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes an Oscar nomination. Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, and Matthew Cassel.

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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars You just gotta love Gena!, July 17 2004

By

IRA Ross (LYNDHURST, NJ United States 07071) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Woman Under the Influence (VHS Tape)

Gena Rowlands is just absolutely wonderful and touching as the blue collar, suburban housewife, Mabel, steadily losing her grip on life and reality. She tries desparately to connect with the people around her, only baffling and embarrassing them and her husband, skillfully played by Peter Falk, who loves her tremendously but cannot understand her as much as he tries. The scene in the film where Falk invites his work buddies home for a spaghetti dinner best illustrates this dilemma. While viewing the video of this film I just wrote his character off as just another stupid, ethnic type, who was just too uneducated and ignorant to be sensitive to his wife increasingly erratic and needy behavior. But I now realize that such a patronizing attitude on my part is totally wrong: mental illness cuts through all ethnic, racial, and economic backgrounds. People of all levels, especially those closest, would be at a loss knowing how best to help this special person in our lives who is slipping away from us into darkness. It may be revelation to some that it is Mabel's three young children who find it the easiest to understand and relate to her plight. They just love their mother and accept her the way she is, without any judgment on their parts, and Mabel responds in kind. It is their influence that will help determine whether she recovers.

John Casavettes directs "A Woman Under the Influence" with a naturalness (a Casavettes hallmark) that seems as if he were making a documentary film about his own family. As many probably know, Gena Rowlands was married to Casavettes and he utilized her in many of his films, all to his and his audience's great advantage.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Emotional powerhouse, Mar 26 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Woman Under the Influence (DVD)

Gena Rowland's performance is flawless. That alone makes the film worth watching. I took a star off due to Peter Falk's annoying performance as the husband. He was o.k.---but got on my nerves after awhile. But back to Gena---how on earth did she lose the Academy Award that year? The Academy needs to give her an honorary Oscar for all of her amazing performances. SHE DESERVES IT!!!!!

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this DVD!, Jan 3 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Woman Under the Influence (DVD)

This film is amazing! Also something not mentioned: The DVD has very smart liner notes by Ray Carney. Carney knew Cassavetes and has written many books about him. I recommend his Cassavetes on Cassavetes for more behind the scene insights. Carney also has a web site with sections devoted to this film. Highly recommended all round for background information.

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