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Opening Night
The Show Must Go On…
Actress Myrtle Gordon is a functioning alcoholic who is a few days from the opening night of her latest play, concerning a woman distraught about aging. One night a car kills one of Myrtle's fans who is chasing her limousine in an attempt to get the star's attention. Myrtle internalizes the accident and goes on a spiritual quest, but fails to finds the answers she is after. As opening night inches closer and closer, fragile Myrtle must find a way to make the show go on.
- Original title
- Opening Night
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
CinemaSerf
Jan 8, 2026 · via TMDB
Isn’t it curious that so many of us start and end our lives dependant on a bottle? “Myrtle” (Gena Rowlands) is one such creature. She’s an acclaimed actress who cannot function without her quota of Scotch. This hasn’t, as yet, impaired her ability or her popularity as she is about to take her next play to Broadway. Leaving rehearsals one evening in a heavy thunderstorm, her limo tragically collides with an adoring fan and for a while the guilt-ridden “Myrtle” keeps seeing “Nancy” (Laura Johnson) as if she were standing next to her, goading and provoking her. Her friend and mentor “Sarah” (Joan Blondell) is determined to try to help so suggests a spiritualist, but with their star becoming more and more flaky, producer “Manny” (Ben Gazzara) and her leading man (and ex) “Maurice” (John Cassavetes) - who both don't have their problems to seek either, begin to wonder if she has what it takes to get a grip and play a part for which she has little love in the first place. I can’t think why Rowlands didn’t get better recognition for her part here. Her efforts as the part thespian, part alcoholic, part comedienne, temptress, charmer and flawed individual is really quite visceral at times - especially in the last half hour. Although none of the other roles can hold a candle to her’s, Gazzara also delivers strongly as he juggles his plates and Blondell adds a degree of characterful richness too, even though she appears sparingly. Now the story is a bit of a mess at times. I didn’t always quite follow what was going on, or why, and perhaps that could have been helped had the film been tightened up a little. Half an hour could go missing here and I don’t think anyone would miss out much on the toxicity front. That toxicity does emanate a little from the booze, but there are also aspects of the plot that deal with ageing - and with one’s reconciliation to that often unwelcome process, and with the whole concept of total strangers offering the kind of adulation that she certainly doesn’t get closer to home. It takes a swing at the theatrical industry, but not cavalierly nor cruelly - it just illustrates just how when you live your life for ever being someone else, well what’s left in the mirror afterwards isn’t always so recognisable. It’s a film to be watched without distractions, so if you have a couple of hours to sit and watch the pros working at being the pros then here is sometime harrowing, sometimes hair raising and sometimes humorous - and definitely worth a watch.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Gena Rowlands
Myrtle Gordon
John Cassavetes
Maurice Aarons
Ben Gazzara
Manny Victor
Joan Blondell
Sarah Goode
Paul Stewart
David Samuels
Zohra Lampert
Dorothy Victor
Laura Johnson
Nancy Stein
John Finnegan
Bobby
Fred Draper
Leo
Katherine Cassavetes
Vivian
Lady Rowlands
Melva Drake
Angelo Grisanti
Charlie Spikes
Eleanor Zee
Sylvia Stein
David Rowlands
Doorman
James Karen
Bellboy
Sherry Bain
Barmaid
Patrick Labyorteaux
Child Actor Playing Vito (uncredited)
Naomi Stevens
Crying Mourner (uncredited)
Seymour Cassel
Self (uncredited)
Peter Falk
Self (uncredited)
Peter Bogdanovich
Self (uncredited)
Al Ruban
Director of Photography
Catherine E. Coulson
Second Assistant Camera
Charlie Picerni
Stunt Coordinator
John Cassavetes
Director
Mike Lally
Associate Producer
Sam Shaw
Executive Producer
John Cassavetes
Writer
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The Critic
Dec 22, 1977
