Review of A Woman Under the Influence (1974) by Giorgi S — 11 Aug 2013
As good of a movie as it gets.
Mabel is great. I see some refer to her as a "crazy wife", not at all. One can scrutinize entire movie and especially that charged scene with visiting kids, role-playing, stiff parent and temper-prone husband - nothing is wrong with her, she is great.
She has unusual gesticulation and she's making some unusual (but fitting and expressive to the context) sounds, which puts people around on guard. Mis-communication, its causes and grave consequences is one of films main points. That central scene with neighbor kids' visit and ensuing fight is one big mis-communication. Otherwise, she explains herself, she is not "that stiff wife". Probably most of her antics would be nothing but fun and kindness if people were open to her means of expressing herself.
Extremely dramatic movie: lost appeal to father to stand up for her; husband unable (in the end) to tell her that he loves him. Only kids, like her yet un-inhibited, fight for her (and thru entire movie have excellent report with her), but she refuses to leverage them. In adult world, among those who wield power Mable is alone and mis-understood.
And very final scene, when husband and wife remain alone... At first I was baffled, I thought it was mute and anti-climactic. But then I felt the fakeness of its idyll and of its sanity and that finale tied the movie as probably no alternative could.
Just great.
This review of A Woman Under the Influence (1974) was written by Giorgi S on 11 Aug 2013.
A Woman Under the Influence has generally received very positive reviews.
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