This is a most exceptional example of stellar Independent American cinema--it was made with no studio money and Cassavetes mortgaged his home to make the picture.
Mabel is the mother of three school aged children and wife of construction worker Nick.
Mabel clearly lives with some kind of mental health issues--the specifics of which are irrelevant.
After a breakdown Mabel voluntarily goes for in-patient treatment at a psychiatric hospital while Nick stays home with the kids.
This film is remarkable for so many reasons not in the least the stellar performances all around. It's a raw, volatile, chaotic portrait of motherhood and of mental illness.
Gena Rowlands was nominated for the Oscar and won the Golden Globe amongst others. The film was a critical success and won many awards. It is protected on the National Film Registry in the USA.
5/5