Faces is right: this definitive John Cassavetes film consists almost exclusively of tight, uncomfortable close-ups. It takes place in the fourteenth year of the marriage of Richard (John Marley) and Maria (Lynn Carlin). Neither husband nor wife is content with the conditions that prevail; Maria joins her friends looking for romantic satisfaction elsewhere, while Richard secures the services of a prostitute (Gena Rowlands). Maria herself has a one-night stand with a hippie (Seymour Cassel), but this is no more satisfying than her dead-end marriage. If you think that Faces is an exhausting experience in its current 130-minute length, imagine what it looked like in Cassavetes' original six-hour cut. Alternately clumsy and profound, it is nonetheless a work of deep sincerity, as recognized by the Venice Film Festival, which bestowed no fewer than five awards on the film, and it perfectly exemplifies Cassavetes' improvisational, cinéma vérité style and searching explorations of modern relationships. (Synopsis courtesy of AllMovie.com)
Cast John Marley ... Richard Forst
Gena Rowlands ... Jeannie Rapp
Lynn Carlin ... Maria Forst
Fred Draper ... Freddie Draper
Seymour Cassel ... Chet
Val Avery ... Jim McCarthy
Dorothy Gulliver ... Florence
Joanne Moore Jordan ... Louise Draper
Darlene Conley ... Billy Mae
Gene Darfler ... Joe Jackson
Elizabeth Deering ... Stella
Ann Shirley (as Anne Shirley)
Dave Mazzie
Anita White
Julie Gambol
Edwin Sirianni
Liz Satriano
O.G. Dunn ... Comedian (as George Dunne)
Jerry Howard
David Rowlands
Carolyn Fleming
James Bridges ... Extra (as Jim Bridges)
Kay Michaels
Don Kraatz
Laurie Mock ... Barmaid
John Hale
Christina Crawford
Midge Ware
George Sims ... Bartender
Charles Akins ... (uncredited)
Nancy E. Barr ... Dancer at Nightclub (uncredited)
Don Siegel ... Extra at Whiskey A-Go-Go (uncredited)
Release Dates Italy September 1968
USA 24 November 1968
West Germany 24 July 1978 (TV)
Hungary 5 November 1993
Portugal 31 December 1994
Argentina 8 April 2000
Finland 13 June 2008
USA 26 October 2008
Poland 21 October 2010
Directed by
John Cassavetes
Writing credits
John Cassavetes
Produced by
Maurice McEndree .... producer
Al Ruban .... associate producer
John Cassavetes .... producer (uncredited)
Cinematography by
Al Ruban
Maurice McEndree (uncredited)
Haskell Wexler (uncredited)
Film Editing by
Maurice McEndree
Al Ruban
John Cassavetes (uncredited)
Art Direction by
Phedon Papamichael (as Phaedon Papamichael)
Set Decoration by
Lady Rowlands
Makeup Department
Harold Chaleff .... hair stylist: Miss Carlin
Production Management
James Joyce .... production manager
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Howard .... assistant director
John Nastu .... assistant director
George O'Halloran .... first assistant director
James Victor .... assistant director
Sound Department
Don Pike .... sound
Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Akins .... gaffer
Charles Akins .... key grip
John Bardwell .... still photographer
George Sims .... camera operator
Editorial Department
James Auker .... post-production
Jack Woods .... post-production
Music Department
Jack Ackerman .... musical director
Victor Arno .... musician: violin
Pete Candoli .... conductor
Pete Candoli .... musician: trumpet
Jack English .... musician: piano
Richard Grand .... assistant to musical director
Red Mitchell .... musician: bass guitar and guitarron
Ted Nash .... musician: tenor sax
Gary Nuttycomb .... musician: viola
Mischa Russell .... musician: violin
Victor Sazer .... musician: violin
Kenny Shroyer .... musician: trombone
Jerry Williams .... musician: drums
Other crew
Charles Akins .... stage manager
Dick Balduzzi .... pre-production
Pat Buckley .... production secretary
Bianca Chambers .... production secretary
Bud Cherry .... dialogue director
Carolyn Fleming .... assistant to producer
Liz Satriano .... production secretary
Pat Smith .... script supervisor
Nancy E. Barr .... production assistant (uncredited)
Steven Spielberg .... production assistant (uncredited)
