An Unmarried Woman (1978)

This Paul Mazursky film was considered pretty hot stuff when it came out in 1978 and was part of a wave of films that opened Hollywood's eyes to stories of women discovering their own identity. And it still holds up. Jill Clayburgh plays a comfy East Side wife whose lawyer husband (Michael Murphy) one day drops a bombshell on her: He doesn't love her and he's walking out on the marriage. Clayburgh, who is accustomed to thinking of herself as an adjunct to her man, suddenly must stand on her own two feet. But it's not an easy transition for her. This was one of the first movies to show how tough it can be, and Clayburgh portrays a compelling blend of vulnerability and growing strength. She even meets a great new guy, a painter (Alan Bates) who, she discovers, she can love without losing herself in the process. --Marshall Fine Amazon.com

Hopelessly dull, makes me glad the 70s are over!

Having never seen this film before yesterday, I was shocked to learn that it had been nominated for an Oscar! It is one of the most unwatchable films ever to receive that distinction. Self-absorbed, bitchy, whiny, ungrateful, boring women sitting around kvetching about their lousy husbands, their indulgent affairs with teenagers, their loneliness. Good grief, shut up already. No wonder your marriages sucked. Had Jill Clayburgh's character spent a little more time paying attention to her family and a little less time boo-hooing about it to her loser friends, there would have been no need to make the film.

Waaaah, waaah, waaah. Call a waaaaaaahbulance for her.

And of course, it's filled with plenty of gratuitous shots of a topless, braless Clayburgh flitting around her apartment in her panties. It's so over-the-top exploitative, it's risible. Shame on Clayburgh for letting herself be used to make some stupid political point, even if it was the 70s. Thank goodness that annoying era is over. September 6, 2008

enigma and fun

Of course Erica's husband does not come back to her - this is a story of a divorce, not a story about how baaaad divorcesd are and that we should all stay in flawed marriages. And of course Erica does not go with Saul: hey remain lovers, but it will take a lot for her to move in with another man. Maybe the 80s will make her do this...but I doubt it. A beautiful movie that also introduces New York City life to movies. But the dialogue between the girlfriends really sucks! We need women writers to do this - there are some weird situations... August 9, 2008

SURVIVAL and SUCCESS re-entering SINGLEHOOD. TIMELESS!

ERICA had it ALL. An adoring husband, the gorgeous Midtown NYC upper floor apt., a well adjusted and precocious teenage daughter, a fulfilling art gallery job and three gal pals in various stages of their womanhood and relationships, who convened as a spiritual support group. ONE fateful day, hubby decides to "come clean" about his relationship with his younger secretary and opt for the "easy non messy exit".

This storyline is intuitive and realistic as the portrayal of grieving a "beautiful life" evolves from the abject powerlessness of Erica's new reality. She has gone from the normal "touchstone" of her circle of companions, to one of the searching and confused singles, yearning to understand how such a life could disappear.

One of the poignant aspects of Mazursky's script is an earnest attempt to prevent the child from inheriting the sting's and foibles of the adults. Erica's pivotal scenes with her child post-marriage offer fruitful insights into the role-changes of motherhood after the male figure leaves. It resolves the emotional fallout in the most classy way, honesty and vulnerability while still being the parent and knowing where to be the "pal".

Because this was filmed in the 70's - some of the social nuances are not as shocking now as they were then. The therapy sessions were actually filmed with a REAL professional, and there was nothing fabricated for hollywood in this drama. This movie advocated counseling and demystified the stigma that was attached to "help" back in the 70s.

BRAVO ... I hoped she would go to England with the artistic and gregarious Alan Bates, however, the changes have given Erica the POWER to judge between the ephemeral and trivial in life versus the resolute choices we can make that establish a comfort zone.

I LOVE THIS MOVIE. It makes me realize that CHANGES are a given, and emotional confidence in deeds and accountability for our humanity - makes growth worthwhile even when it is painful. July 14, 2008

Boring, absurd and it dragged.

I bought this film because of a film I saw years ago with Jill Clayburgh and Burt Reynolds called "Starting Over". That film was enchanting and humorous. Sorry, this one was neither. July 2, 2008

Playing the field.

This movie is always on t.v. so finally I decided to watch An Unmarried Woman starring Jill Clayburgh. This movie is pretty darn good, I agree with one of the reviewers stating this film is dated and that's true but the performances make this movie worth while. The ending is a bit silly but this is an important film which deals with a married woman who is suddenly single after her husband walks out. I highly recommend checking out this 70's classic, enjoy! June 25, 2008

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