OPENING NIGHT
US, 1977, 143 minutes, Colour.
Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, John Cassavetes, Joan Blondell, Paul Stewart, Zohra Lampert. Guests: Peter Falk, Peter Bogdanavich, Seymour Cassell, Tony Roberts.
Directed by John Cassavetes.
Opening Night: John Cassavetes often seems a dour screen personality. However, his screen writing and directing (so often with his wife Gena Rowlands, Minnie and Moskowitz, A Woman Under the Influence) shows a sensitive perception that offers insight and makes concentrated demands on his audience - as here in his portrait of stage star, middle-aged Myrtle, trying to grapple with her part, her emotional collapse (and ageing) and her director (Ben Gazzara), co-star (Cassavetes), writer (Joan Blondell) and others in her life. The film portrays theatre life, pressure and tensions, melodramatics and artificially heightened pace of the temperamental prima donna. The theatre life, the interpretation of the play performed and the crisp and wise dialogue are features of a long, demanding and rewarding experience.
1. What kind of cinema experience was this film? Length, intensity, the demands made on the audience? Characters in close-up? The theatre world and theatricality? The theatre as a microcosm? The emphasis on talk, emotional actions? How much insight, understanding?
2. The film in the work of John Cassavetes? His writing, acting and direction? His perspective on human nature, sensitivity, insight and invitation to empathy with characters so different from our own? His understanding of human nature?
3. The visual effects to create an atmosphere of theatre on the screen? Colour, locations, filming in the theatre and the view of the stage? Interiors, especially rooms? Close-ups,, profiles? Improvisation in the acting and the way this was presented visually?
4. How particularly American was the film? Insight into Americans, the way of life, problems? The basic human issues and values explored? The universal interest in such themes - real life, realism, fantasy, theatre?
5. The background of the theatre and audience response to it? The style of theatrical presence in a play and the contrast with cinema? The way this was communicated visually? The play itself within the film, its style, characters, sets and decor? The rehearsals and performances? The various times that the audience saw the play? Themes of marriage, age, children, permissions? Violence and the focus on the slap - the rehearsal and the reality? The consequences of Myrtle's fear of the slap? The tantrums and the way these were presented? The amount of dialogue in the play and its reflection of themes in the film itself? The play viewed as with the audience in the theatre? The scenes shown again and audience anticipation of how they were to be interpreted? How important was this for the send-up at the end? Why did the play deteriorate into send-up, the improvisation by Maurice and Myrtle? How did this reflect their own experiences from their time together, relationship, acting together? The ironic success of this send-up?
6. The relation of the play to the characters themselves? Their professionalism, rehearsal and interpretation, success and failure? The reputation of Myrtle, of Maurice, of the director and the playwright? The need to rework the play? The interpretation and feel of the characters, situations, themes?
7. The opening night as symbol and goal? Working towards it and all that it meant? The fact of the performance on the opening night? The effect on Myrtle of preparation, performance. success and failure? Her absence, her being drunk? Moods? The repercussions of the tryouts and their effect on her? The gala atmosphere of the first night, the reporters? The cast and crew all working together, mutual support for success and survival? Audience response? The guest stars and their presence at the opening night, the party afterwards? The talk at the party, chatter, interaction? The party rounding off the presentation of this character study?
8. The realism and the blend of unreality and fantasy? The screenplay contrived to embody and symbolise the themes? The influence of theatre on people, the actors bringing their experience to theatre? The communication in cinema?
9. The significance of the girl fan, the adulation of the fans at the theatre, pursuing Myrtle, the effect on her? The attention and adulation? The girl and her face pressed to the window? The ugliness of her death? The reactions of each person in the group., the seeming callousness? The girl as seventeen, the significance of the voice-over? Her later appearances, entering into Myrtle's life., Myrtle projecting herself back into this girl? Their talk together? The attempts to reach her - the seance and the consultation, the role-play and its violent effect on Myrtle? An attempt to exorcise the evil in the presence of the girl? The ultimate violence to Myrtle? The truth about the girl and Myrtle facing the truth about herself? The significance of Myrtle's visit to Nancy's parents? The contrast with emotions being close to the surface - in the amateur Nancy, growing colder in the professional Myrtle?
10. How vivid was the portrait of Myrtle? Gena Rowlands' performance? As a professional stage actress, a success, her fans? Her own emotions? Her memories of her youth and being confronted by these? The lack of relationships - and the affairs with Maurice, Manny, David? Her relationship with each of them - professionally.. in friendship? The ordinary encounters with such people as the concierge? Not having any children? Relying on drinking - the initial presentation of her before she went on and drinking? The support of Kelly helping her to dress and to cope? The erratic nature of her moods e.g. the long phone call to Manny? Her vulnerability off stage and her professionalism on stage? Her capacity for compassion and empathy? Her changing attitudes towards the play? Feeling humiliation? Nerves.. moving to breaking point.. trying to hold on? Her clinging to each of the members of the theatre troupe? Her feeling that they rejected her? The clashes? Her capacity for listening? The experience of New Haven and its disastrous impact, the preparation for New York? Sarah and her attempts to help - the seance? The role-play? The effect of the visions of Nancy on Myrtle? The use of the sequence with the slap to highlight Myrtle's fears and breakdown? The change of relationship with Maurice. her visiting him and his rejection? Her waiting, drinking? The film's building up her character in this kind of detail? The final exorcising of Nancy's presence? The clash and comparisons with Sarah? Her drinking before the play started, the arrival, the group rallying to put her on stage, her emotions coming to the surface and Maurice, and herself satirising the play? The support during the party?
11. The character of Maurice - as actor, supporting Myrtle? His consciousness of his small role and the comparisons with Myrtle in professionalism? The former relationship? The slap sequence? His reaction to the killing of Nancy and Myrtle's resentment of it? The effect on him of Myrtle's visit and his rejecting of a new relationship? Why did he help her in the improvisation at the end? The small portrait of a supporting star?
12. The portrait of Sarah - her age, the story of her life, her elaborate dresses and hats? Her insight into ageing and her skill in writing plays? Her relationship with Manny and David? Her reaction to the rehearsals, to Myrtle's breakdown? Her despising of Myrtle yet her cajoling her into performance? The clash with Myrtle and the mutual hurt and truth? Her taking Myrtle to the seance etc.? The final discussion in the bedroom? The reaction to the sending up of her play after the anxious wait for it to start? Portrait of a woman, of a playwright? Her concern about her reputation, coping? The portrait of Sarah, Myrtle, Nancy as representing three different generations of women and the mutual comparison?
13. The portrait of Manny as director? His relationship with Myrtle, personal, professional? A relentless man? The pressure that he placed on her, persuading, cajoling? His relationship with his wife? Their separations, return? The significance of the phone call from Myrtle and Dorothy mimicking her in the bedroom? The way that he spoke of her performance and encouraged her? His disappointment with her? New Haven, waiting for her? His satirical and brutal aspects? The possibility of an affair with her? His rejection of this and disgust with her? Why did he not understand her? His ability as a director, understanding of the play and its themes? His friendship with Sarah, with Maurice? The final night, his waiting, the decision about closing the play? His react-Ion to the satire? A portrait of a professional man, a man with insight, a selfish man?
14. The contrast with David and his skill as a producer? His presence in the group? Friendship with all of them? Relationship with Myrtle and supporting her? His age? His relationship with women? Relationship to Myrtle? His following the group? The night, waiting to cancel the play, the significance of his speech and the way that he made it and the way that it was filmed? Cutting his losses? His reaction to the satire and his coping with the situation professionally?
15. Kelly and her continued support of Myrtle, knowing her every wish and whim, understanding her, helping her?
16. The portrait of the two elderly ladies who were to help Myrtle - at the seance, at the psycho-drama?
17. The final impact of Nancy - Myrtle's projection of her, her weirdness, the death, the reappearances? Nancy as Myrtle? Myrtle having to do violence to this part of her and kill her?
18. The picture of people of the theatre? Leo, the various personnel around the stage, the manager, the workers? The hotel people, the waiters, the concierge? All seen in the light of Myrtle and their support of her?
19. The film's presentation of theatre audiences - fans, autograph-seekers? The first night audience, the slow clap? The interrelationship of stars and audience? The significance of the title of the play - The Second Woman?
20. This film as offering insight into individuals, human relationships? Acting, the life of the theatre and its repercussions on individuals?
