It’s her birthday today. The quote in the headline was Rowlands talking about playing Mabel in A Woman Under the Influence, but it could be said about many of her roles, particularly the ones she did in her husband’s films. Far far out there on a limb, or on a mountaintop, without an oxygen tank, without a net, whatever metaphor you want. That’s how far out she goes.
I’ve written so much about her, my favorite living actress, and here’s a roundup:
For the Criterion release of Love Streams, I wrote and narrated a video essay about Rowlands’ work with Cassavetes. Here’s an excerpt from the video (the whole thing is in the Special Features on the DVD):
When Gena Rowlands received her Lifetime Achievement Oscar, I was hired to write the narration for the tribute reel played at the ceremony. Angelina Jolie read what I wrote. Unfortunately, it isn’t online. (It was a trophy moment, personally to hear “Angie” saying MY words.)
Here’s Gena Rowlands’ highly entertaining speech at her Lifetime Achivement ceremony, complete w/Bette Davis anecdote (they did an amazing TV movie together, “Strangers.”)
I wrote the booklet essay – reprinted here – for Arrow Film’s release of Another Woman (part of a Woody Allen box set) – it’s one of her best performances, and it’s rarely discussed.
Here’s my report for Rogerebert.com on a QA she did after a SAG screening of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Witness to a Legend: The Career of Gena Rowlands
Also for Rogerebert.com, I wrote “Gena Rowlands: A Life in Film,” to highlight the career entire, not just the films she did with John Cassavetes.
When I interviewed Dan Callahan about his The Art of American Screen Acting, we discussed Gena Rowlands, of course.
I wrote about Minnie and Moskowitz for my Substack.
For my column at Liberties, I wrote about Cassavetes and Rowlands, Opening Night, and Tennessee Williams’ Two-Character Play: John Cassavetes, Tennessee Williams, and Intelligent Insanity
And finally, because it was only right, I wrote a tribute to her when she died: A Woman Without Peers.
Even that tribute wasn’t enough, so I wrote another one.
“When Gena and I are home together, we’re husband and wife. On the set, we’re deadly combatants. We have great respect for each other, like enemies do.” – John Cassavetes
Offtopic: Yesterday women were finally allowed into the Azadi stadium after 37 years to watch the World Cup game featuring Iran vs. Spain on screen.A journalist tweeted that when he was there in March, 35 women were arrested for trying to get into the Azadi.
I keep thinking about the film Offside. Which I would never have known about or gone to see if I hadn’t read about it here;). I hope Jafar Panahi saw the footage of all those happy, excited women and families.
I hadn’t heard this news – thank you for letting me know! Jafar Panahi – STILL banned from making films – and STILL making films. Hero!
She’s terrifying
100%.
There was some podcast with Tarantino and a couple of other guys where they talked about renting 16mm prints of Cassavete’s movies, back in the day. If you wanted one for a showing, there was a company that did it in the phone book. You’d go to the address and it was a house in a neighborhood. You’d knock on the door, Gena Rowlands would answer it, see a film nerd on the porch, and yell over her shoulder “JOHNNNNN”. Cassavete’s would walk up smoking a cigar in boxer shorts and a bathrobe, walk you into the garage where there was a rack of film canisters and say “Whaddaya want?”.
Just so normally domestic.