Opening Night

"The Show Must Go On…"

1977 2h 24m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 270

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“The Show Must Go On…”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

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 Tuell
Gus Simmons

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Cassavetes
Writers: John Cassavetes
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

49 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Cassavetes, shot by Al Ruban. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Bo Harwood. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tom Cornwell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes and Ben Gazzara carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The Show Must Go On…".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0079672 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Cassavetes directs. Al Ruban behind the camera. Bo Harwood scores. Tom Cornwell cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

149 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by John Cassavetes, shot by Al Ruban. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Bo Harwood. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Tom Cornwell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes and Ben Gazzara carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The Show Must Go On…".
7IMDB entry: tt0079672 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 17 themes, including "alcohol", "autograph", "aging", "apparition".

The technical file

Cinematography: Al Ruban
Original score: Bo Harwood
Editing: Tom Cornwell
Production design: Bryan Ryman
Costume design: Aleka Corwin
Stunt coordinator: Charlie Picerni
Runtime: 144 min · 2h 24m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Opening Night (1977)

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John Cassavetes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-01-08
★ 7/10
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.

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