In this emotional roller coaster ride, Robert Harmon (John Cassavetes) is a street-wise, sometimes obnoxious writer currently working on a book about the seamier side of buying/selling love, and Sarah Lawson (Gena Rowlands) is an emotive wife and mother struggling through a divorce and custody battle. When Sarah lands on Robert's doorstep with her suitcases, it seems at first that she has returned to her husband. Robert has several women staying at his place (research sources!), but when his real ex-wife arrives with their young son, he sends the women packing. Sarah, it turns out, is Robert's sister. As the two work out their own live's hurdles -- Robert, the unaccustomed father with his 8-year-old son, and Sarah, trying to cope with her custody battle and its results -- their way of handling adversity and personal burdens becomes the real subtext of the film. This film won the Golden Bear Award at the 1984 Berlin Film Festival. (Synopsis courtesy of AllMovie.com)
Cast Gena Rowlands ... Sarah Lawson
John Cassavetes ... Robert Harmon
Diahnne Abbott ... Susan
Seymour Cassel ... Jack Lawson
Margaret Abbott ... Margarita
Jakob Shaw ... Albie Swanson
Eddy Donno ... Stepfather Swanson
Joan Foley ... Judge Dunbar
Al Ruban ... Milton Kravitz
Tom Badal ... Sam the lawyer
Julie Allan ... Charlene
Doe Avedon ... Mrs. Kiner
Frank Beetson ... Cashier
Neil Bell ... The Dog Man
Gregg Berger ... Taxi Driver
Risa Blewitt ... Debbie Lawson
Bronwyn Bober ... Jeanine
Tony Brubaker ... Frank
Logan Carter ... Female Impersonator
Alexandra Cassavetes ... Backup Singer
Jak Castro ... Bit Part
Michele Conway ... Agnes Swanson
Dominique Davalos ... Backup Singer
Cindy Davidson ... Annette
Raphael De Niro ... Billy
Barbara DiFrenza ... Mary
François Duhamel ... French Porter
Joan Dykman ... Phyllis
George Endoso ... House Man
Robert Fieldsteel ... Dr. Williams
John Finnegan ... Taxi Driver
Michael O. Gallant ... Bit Part
Leonard P. Geer ... Lenny
Leslie Hope ... Joanie
Jamie Horton ... Porter
Jim W. Jones ... Taxi Driver
Kelly Lawrence ... Female Impersonator
Joe Le Flore ... Bit Part
Renee Le Flore ... Renee
Avraham Leibman ... Porter
Al Lopez ... Bit Part
Victoria Morgan ... Laurie
Christopher Morley ... Female Impersonator
Hugo Napton ... Ben the Bartender
Christopher O'Neal ... Phyllis George Delano
Phedon Papamichael ... Taxi Driver
John Qualls ... Taxi Driver
John Roselius ... Ken
David Rowlands ... The psychiatrist (as Dave Rowlands)
Dean Shindel ... Bit Part
Michael Stein ... Porter
Jessica St. John ... Dottie
William C. Thompson ... Porter
Susan Wolf ... Jade Meadows Swift
Release Dates West Germany February 1984
USA 24 August 1984
Sweden 21 September 1984
Argentina 22 November 1984
France 9 January 1985
Portugal 3 October 1985
Hungary 29 January 1987
Finland 30 January 1987
Argentina 14 April 2000
France 11 June 2003 (re-release)
Finland 14 June 2008
Directed by
John Cassavetes
Writing credits
Ted Allan play
Ted Allan screenplay
John Cassavetes writer
Produced by
Yoram Globus .... producer
Menahem Golan .... producer
Original Music by
Bo Harwood
Cinematography by
Al Ruban
Film Editing by
George C. Villaseñor
Production Design by
Phedon Papamichael
Costume Design by
Emily Draper
Jennifer Smith-Ashley
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randy Carter .... first assistant director
Art Department
Tommy Estridge .... property master
Sound Department
Dessie Markovsky .... sound editor
Ken Dufva .... foley artist (uncredited)
Stunts
Steve M. Davison .... stunt double
Mike Washlake .... stunts
Camera and Electrical Department
François Duhamel .... still photographer
Avraham Leibman .... gaffer
Stephen St. John .... Steadicam operator
Editorial Department
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen .... assistant post-production
Other crew
Kathryn Loraine Hibbs .... production accountant
