Review of Opening Night (1977) by Richard H — 06 Apr 2009

Unlike some of John Cassavetes's other films, I was captivated by this film. Gena Rowlands's complex performance in this film is one of the best performances I have ever seen in a movie. Her performance was mostly the reason why I found this to be so captivating.

She has such control over her craft that she does nothing wrong in this movie. The rehearsal scenes on the stage with Rowlands and Cassavetes himself are incredibly well directed- Cassavetes acheives that feeling by directing Rowlands in a sub-conscious way- we, as an audience, and Myrtle Gordon (Rowlands' character) do not know what reality is in that situation- because of her confusion, we don't know if she's acting or not, and it creates this fear, this extreme intensity, and as a result, empathy from the audience for her character.

She is a character that one really can care about. And so, as a result, we care about what happens to her, and we get caught up in her turmoil. That's how well written and directed her character is.

So, to sum it up, this is an excellent piece of 1970's independent cinema that is required viewing for any aspiring actor or film buff.