Her Head in Films

John Cassavetes's 'Opening Night' (1977)

Episode Summary

In this episode, I talk about John Cassavetes's 1977 film, "Opening Night." It's about an actress named Myrtle Gordon (played by the magnificent Gena Rowlands) who witnesses the death of one of her fans and begins to spiral into a breakdown as she struggles to do a play that forces her to confront her feelings about aging. I talk all about why I love this film and Gena's performance but I also talk about some complicated and overwhelming feelings I've had since turning 30 last year and how women can feel anxiety about getting older in a world that worships youth. There are spoilers in this episode. Full show notes: https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-113-john-cassavetess-opening-night-1977

Episode Notes

In this episode, I talk about John Cassavetes's 1977 film, "Opening Night." It's about an actress named Myrtle Gordon (played by the magnificent Gena Rowlands) who witnesses the death of one of her fans and begins to spiral into a breakdown as she struggles to do a play that forces her to confront her feelings about aging. I talk all about why I love this film and Gena's performance but I also talk about some complicated and overwhelming feelings I've had since turning 30 last year and how women can feel anxiety about getting older in a world that worships youth. There are spoilers in this episode.

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