Came here after hearing that she’s passed away at the age of 94. Rest in peace Gena Rowlands. Such an incredible performance in this film and in others.
As someone who has had many friends suffer from strong mental illness, the acting in this film is painfully true to real life. I can't think of many other works that have effected me emotionally as much as this, it's very hard to watch.
@Peter Kelner Actually, this one is not even his greatest film; in my opinion, anyway. One of his greatest, for sure. Faces, Love Streams, Opening Night, Husbands, even his most commercial-Gloria- is still better than most fare.
This performance by Gena was sheer brilliance, one of if not the finest I've ever seen by an actress. Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is fantastic but Gena should've won the Oscar that year, hands down. Also, Burstyn was robbed in 2001 when her heartbreaking turn in Requiem For A Dream lost out to Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich, that was baffling.
Agreed 1000%. About both instances. In that famous scene in Requiem where Burstyn gives that agonizing, heart-wrenching monologue about her loneliness, you can see the camera drift off focus; apparently this was because the cinematographer was actually moved to tears by her acting and caused the camera lens to fog. What a performance.
@@somni2246 Burstyn is one of the finest actresses of her generation but nobody really talks about her in that breath which is a shame. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, The Exorcist, Resurrection, Requiem For A Dream to name a few outstanding performances she gave in films. As for Gena's in A Woman Under The Influence, there's only a couple of performances I've seen that could be argued are better: Katharine Hepburn in The Lion In Winter or Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? are up there & there's a few others I could think of that would be in the discussion, but Gena really is phenomenal in this.
@@NoirFan84 I'm also a very big a fan of Sissy Spacek. Everyone goes on about Streep, as far as actresses of that age who started out in the late 70's, and she's great and all, but when I saw Spacek's performance in "In the Bedroom" (an appallingly underrated and overlooked film, in my opinion) I was like "that woman is my Streep".
@@somni2246 Yeah Sissy's a great actress. Carrie & 3 Women she was excellent. Coal Miners Daughter too which landed her her Oscar. Streep is OK but she's never really wowed me like others I could mention. There were definitely more actresses that started out in the 70s & prior that you could point at & say they were extremely talented than there is more modern actresses of say the last 20/30 years that you can say the same about. I do find Cate Blanchett & Julianne Moore fantastic mind & probably the pick of the modern bunch.
@@NoirFan84 Oh yea, I'm a big fan of Julianne Moore, incredibly talented in addition to being stunningly beautiful. As far as more contemporary actresses, I also quite like Nicole Kidman. Her and Julianne Moore were great in "The Hours". Nicole's wonderfully subtle and nuanced performance as a grieving mother in "Rabbit Hole" is probably my favorite of hers; I'm very drawn to those types of roles for female actresses, like Sissy Spacek's in "In the Bedroom".
Many viewers missed that both husband and wife suffered from mental illness. Also, the movie starts with a physical "under the influence" by the guy in the bar and ends with mentally "under the influence" by her husband. Her future is screwed and her kids will grow up traumatized for life. Point of movie is just stay away from people like this because today's pills/therapy don't always work. If anyone has these traits, don't get married/have kids.
The performance is so good, that one doesn’t feel like they’re watching a movie but part of the cast standing to the side. What a team John and Gena were.
Gena Rowland is one of the best actors of all time. Her commitment to the role and her ability to always relate to her characters always brings a multidimensional humanity.Her ability to beautiful and yet unafraid to be ugly is what makes her superb.
seriously such a phenomenal film. while you’re watching certain scenes you’re kinda like “huh?” but then when the subsequent scene comes on you’re like “wait… THAT was brilliant and so is this.” it’s complex, it’s beautiful, it’s devastating, and it’s totally timeless. Gena Rowlands acted her ass off
This is why so many actresses point to Gena Rowlands as an inspiration in their craft. She was perfect in this role. As a little kid in the 70's with a mom who had her own mental crises from time to time (not as intense as this, but close) - she hit it home very hard for me. Beautiful film.
When Mabel comes home from the hospital and the family is sitting at the dining room table and she looks over at her father and says, "Dad, will you stand up for me?", is one of the most subtly powerful moments in cinema. A true masterpiece.
I don’t think it’s this scene but the doctor actor actually thought she was going crazy and not acting and people were actually worried they said it in commentary. it’s the part after this when they try to capture her. The doctor looks scared and stops acting for a moment as he was genuinely freaked out by her performance but it still made the final cut
The acting is soooo dam good I don’t feel like I should be watching I feel like I am intruding on his conversation / intervention with his wife. And mother in law it’s so Dam good I kept thinking should I be listening /watching this only other actress to give me that feeling was michelle Fairely aka catelyn stark in a low budget Irish film she made in her late 20’s calked god I also think it was a short but the way she showed her anger at the priest for telling G her it was on her for her rape was pure like being there I legit was like Dam I need to leave I felt like I had walked in on her screaming at a priest gena clearly can do the same shit idk how they do it but they do if yet y’all are on a Meryl Streep High I still like Meryl I just think there are a ton of equal to her talent actress out there.
Came here after hearing that she’s passed away at the age of 94. Rest in peace Gena Rowlands. Such an incredible performance in this film and in others.
Rest in Peace Gena Rowlands, one of the best actresses in history, BEAUTIFUL LEGEND, UNFORGETTABLE! ❤
As someone who has had many friends suffer from strong mental illness, the acting in this film is painfully true to real life. I can't think of many other works that have effected me emotionally as much as this, it's very hard to watch.
Forever in our minds and hearts. Thank you, Gena Rowlands 💔❤️
Gena Rowlands is a treasure -- a true artist. And John Cassettes made movies like no one else: a true original.
I agree. She is terific; and John was a genius. He observed human behavior better than anyone else.
@Peter Kelner Actually, this one is not even his greatest film; in my opinion, anyway. One of his greatest, for sure. Faces, Love Streams, Opening Night, Husbands, even his most commercial-Gloria- is still better than most fare.
And she didn't win an Oscar for this role... THAT'S CRAZY!!!!
RIP to one of my favorite actresses
This performance by Gena was sheer brilliance, one of if not the finest I've ever seen by an actress. Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is fantastic but Gena should've won the Oscar that year, hands down. Also, Burstyn was robbed in 2001 when her heartbreaking turn in Requiem For A Dream lost out to Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich, that was baffling.
Agreed 1000%. About both instances. In that famous scene in Requiem where Burstyn gives that agonizing, heart-wrenching monologue about her loneliness, you can see the camera drift off focus; apparently this was because the cinematographer was actually moved to tears by her acting and caused the camera lens to fog. What a performance.
@@somni2246 Burstyn is one of the finest actresses of her generation but nobody really talks about her in that breath which is a shame. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, The Exorcist, Resurrection, Requiem For A Dream to name a few outstanding performances she gave in films. As for Gena's in A Woman Under The Influence, there's only a couple of performances I've seen that could be argued are better: Katharine Hepburn in The Lion In Winter or Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? are up there & there's a few others I could think of that would be in the discussion, but Gena really is phenomenal in this.
@@NoirFan84 I'm also a very big a fan of Sissy Spacek. Everyone goes on about Streep, as far as actresses of that age who started out in the late 70's, and she's great and all, but when I saw Spacek's performance in "In the Bedroom" (an appallingly underrated and overlooked film, in my opinion) I was like "that woman is my Streep".
@@somni2246 Yeah Sissy's a great actress. Carrie & 3 Women she was excellent. Coal Miners Daughter too which landed her her Oscar. Streep is OK but she's never really wowed me like others I could mention. There were definitely more actresses that started out in the 70s & prior that you could point at & say they were extremely talented than there is more modern actresses of say the last 20/30 years that you can say the same about. I do find Cate Blanchett & Julianne Moore fantastic mind & probably the pick of the modern bunch.
@@NoirFan84 Oh yea, I'm a big fan of Julianne Moore, incredibly talented in addition to being stunningly beautiful. As far as more contemporary actresses, I also quite like Nicole Kidman. Her and Julianne Moore were great in "The Hours". Nicole's wonderfully subtle and nuanced performance as a grieving mother in "Rabbit Hole" is probably my favorite of hers; I'm very drawn to those types of roles for female actresses, like Sissy Spacek's in "In the Bedroom".
It's unbelievable that one of the most touching scenes in film history has under 5,000 views.
I believe it.
This along with the last scene of the film when children hug their mother are outstanding.
Many viewers missed that both husband and wife suffered from mental illness. Also, the movie starts with a physical "under the influence" by the guy in the bar and ends with mentally "under the influence" by her husband. Her future is screwed and her kids will grow up traumatized for life. Point of movie is just stay away from people like this because today's pills/therapy don't always work. If anyone has these traits, don't get married/have kids.
@@sp-yj5wr Cassavetes would slap you
Gena thank you for portraying the insane accurately. I love you RIP😊
The performance is so good, that one doesn’t feel like they’re watching a movie but part of the cast standing to the side.
What a team John and Gena were.
This is one of the rawest acting I've ever seen, makes me even uncomfortable to watch
It’s like watching a documentary it’s scary she’s amazing
Gena Rowland is one of the best actors of all time. Her commitment to the role and her ability to always relate to her characters always brings a multidimensional humanity.Her ability to beautiful and yet unafraid to be ugly is what makes her superb.
She was so good in this movie. Can't believe she didn't win oscar
Rest in Peace, beautiful cinemactress. 🌹
seriously such a phenomenal film. while you’re watching certain scenes you’re kinda like “huh?” but then when the subsequent scene comes on you’re like “wait… THAT was brilliant and so is this.” it’s complex, it’s beautiful, it’s devastating, and it’s totally timeless. Gena Rowlands acted her ass off
This is why so many actresses point to Gena Rowlands as an inspiration in their craft. She was perfect in this role. As a little kid in the 70's with a mom who had her own mental crises from time to time (not as intense as this, but close) - she hit it home very hard for me. Beautiful film.
I am in love with her acting forever
Such brilliance ,and such command over her craft 🙏 Hats off..
Wonderful, wonderful actress. Rest In Peace.
This is a very excellent film. Brilliant story, directing and excellent performances including Gena Rowlands & Peter Falk
I love this film - sidddownn Mabel ❤️
Such a poignant scene. I can’t praise these actors enough.
When Mabel comes home from the hospital and the family is sitting at the dining room table and she looks over at her father and says, "Dad, will you stand up for me?", is one of the most subtly powerful moments in cinema. A true masterpiece.
I just realized she was in Skeleton Key!!! Holy shit!!!
Cate Blanchett "imitated" her in BLUE JASMINE.
Aye no wonder she got on Oscar she was great not this level but she was convincing as a woman who was having a breakdown .
Bingo. Rowlands is so brilliant no one can touch this.
I don’t think it’s this scene but the doctor actor actually thought she was going crazy and not acting and people were actually worried they said it in commentary. it’s the part after this when they try to capture her. The doctor looks scared and stops acting for a moment as he was genuinely freaked out by her performance but it still made the final cut
The acting is soooo dam good I don’t feel like I should be watching I feel like I am intruding on his conversation / intervention with his wife. And mother in law it’s so Dam good I kept thinking should I be listening /watching this only other actress to give me that feeling was michelle Fairely aka catelyn stark in a low budget Irish film she made in her late 20’s calked god I also think it was a short but the way she showed her anger at the priest for telling
G her it was on her for her rape was pure like being there I legit was like Dam I need to leave I felt like I had walked in on her screaming at a priest gena clearly can do the same shit idk how they do it but they do if yet y’all are on a Meryl Streep
High I still like Meryl I just think there are a ton of equal to her talent actress out there.
1:10
2:33😌
bore out but i don't drink but i'm upset
2:30
:(