I’ve spent much of 2022 filling in my cinematic blindspots. Everyone has those movies. These are the actors and directors who you know you should be familiar with, but you’ve just never gotten around to their filmography. Best known as one of the fathers of independent cinema as we know it today, John Cassavetes spent almost thirty years behind the camera.
Cassavetes’ works are unmistakably his. This is the truest sign of an auteur. Cassavetes’ fascination with deep, human characters and all their associated frailty may not be always the easiest to watch, but these works shaped independent storytelling as we know it today.
I knew Cassavetes’ name from film school and my associated trips through the Criterion Collection. However, aside from recognizing his name and being able to name a couple of his movies, I knew very little. With that in mind, I tackled his twelve-movie filmography over the course of a few months in 2022 and fell in love with his intense fascination with character and personality.
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Have you thought of jumping into his work? Maybe you’re not sure where to start. Trust me, it’s not that scary once you take the first plunge. So, with that being said, here is every John Cassavetes movie, ranked!
12. Big Trouble (1986)
Big Trouble follows an insurance investigator (Alan Arkin) struggling to deal with a quirky client (Beverly D’Angelo). The problem is, she wants to kill her aging husband (Peter Falk). How will he deal with the resulting zaniness? Andrew Bergman wrote the script and shared directing credit with Cassavetes.
Big Trouble is a bit of a struggle all the way around. This is the last film Cassavetes released and ultimately, very little of “him” exists in this movie. It is a million miles away from his usual vision, having been shot just three years before Cassavetes’ 1989 passing.
Ultimately, Cassavetes can’t receive all the grief for Big Trouble and its struggles. Sure, the movie is big and broad. Problems behind the camera reportedly plagued the feature from start to finish. In fact, Cassavetes only reportedly stepped behind the camera to help Falk after initial director Andrew Bergman left the production.
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When all is said and done, Big Trouble is broad, but it isn’t horrendous. It’s just not really a Cassavetes film. Had this movie come from Andrew Bergman (director of Honeymoon in Vegas and The Freshman), it might be remembered differently. Unfortunately, though, this is a lose-lose situation for Cassavetes at the very end of his career.
Big Trouble is currently streaming on Tubi.
11. A Child is Waiting (1963)
From the end of the filmmaker’s career, we jump to almost the beginning. A Child is Waiting comes almost a quarter of a century before Big Trouble as a young Cassavetes struggled to work inside the dying Hollywood studio system.
These attempts were famously fraught. At the same time though, A Child is Waiting shows the still-young director beginning to harness the traits that would come to be his calling card later in life.
A Child is Waiting follows the action at a school for developmentally challenged children. Judy Garland stars as a new music teacher struggling to find her place in life. Burt Lancaster co-stars as the school’s no-nonsense headmaster. Cassavetes directs the film from a script by Abby Mann.
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I’ll admit to being nervous jumping into this movie. This was 1963 after all. Between the sensitive nature of not only the subject matter but the state of Judy Garland’s career at this point, the story could go wrong in a million different ways. Luckily, Cassavetes approaches the script with sensitivity and patience. He’s completely respectful and at the same time understands the heart and soul of this film.
Ultimately, A Child is Waiting is an early offering from Cassavetes who is still finding his footing in the studio system. As a result, this movie isn’t quite to the narrative level of some of his later works. It’s raw and rough, but Cassavetes is showing the earliest simmering of the genius which would come to fruition later in his career.
A Child is Waiting is currently streaming on Roku.
10. Too Late Blues (1961)
Too Late Blues comes right at the same time as A Child is Waiting and both works are largely at an even keel. Writing honestly, this only rates higher for me thanks to the tenacity in Bobby Darin‘s performance. The singer is a truly fascinating presence every time he steps on screen.
Too Late Blues stars Bobby Darin and Stella Stevens in a story about a jazz musician who falls in love with a torch singer. The movie dives deeply into the questionable decisions we make as humans.
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The film is (as mentioned) an early work showing Cassavetes struggling to fit his square peg into the studio system’s round hole. At the same time though, Too Late Blues feels like a real development in Cassavetes’ narrative style. It’s young, raw and a little rough, but it shows a filmmaker on the rise. His fascination with human frailty, relationships and all the flaws which make us human are all there. it just needed to gel a bit.
Too Late Blues is available to stream on Kanopy.
9. Shadows (1958)
While the last two films show Cassavetes struggling to develop his style in the restrictive studio system, Shadows shows what he could do on his own.
Shadows stands as Cassavetes’ first film. The director shot the film as he could while starring on the single-season (but delightful) television series, Johnny Staccato. Filmed on a shoestring budget on the streets of New York, the movie traces the complicated story of interracial relationships in the middle of the 20th century.
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Overall, Shadows is incredibly raw which might be a detractor for some. I’ve watched it a handful of times and I admit, I still struggle to lose myself inside this story. However, this is also an emotional dive into moviemaking we don’t often see. This is a million miles away from the glitz of the studio system and it reminds us filmmaking can be simply a labor of love.
Shadows is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.
8. Faces (1968)
Coming in 1968, Faces stands as Cassavetes’ long-awaited, independent directorial effort after Shadows. The film stars John Marley, Gena Rowlands and Lynn Carlin in a story about a marriage beginning to crumble. Like his other works, Cassavetes directs the film from his own script.
A Cassavetes directorial work is a labor of love. In many of these cases, these were challenging productions with financing being hard to come by. Faces, much like Shadows, is rough, not only emotionally, but unlike his later works, also visually. This isn’t a popcorn film for a fun night. Rather, Faces is an adult drama tackling triggering themes like suicide and marital troubles. It’s gritty in every sense of the word.
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However, a simple look at the film’s critical reception shows the still-young Cassavetes on a rapid rise. This small feature film received three Academy Award nominations in 1969. Actors Carlin and Seymour Cassell both received nominations in the supporting actor categories while Cassavetes’ screenplay also received a nomination. That’s a heck of a result for such an early effort.
Faces is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.
7. Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
Minnie and Moskowitz is perhaps best-remembered in John Cassavetes’ career as the first full pairing with his wife, partner and collaborator Gena Rowlands.
This is the first time we see Rowlands step into a starring role (with her husband directing) opposite another regular Cassavetes collaborator Seymour Cassell. The actors star in a story about a businesswoman who falls headfirst into a quirky relationship with a free-spirited parking attendant. Cassavetes once again directs the script from his own script.
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Cassavetes’ work with Rowlands developed throughout their partnership into some of their greatest works. He as a director created for his muse. As a performer, she brought some of his greatest characters to life. Few actor/director partnerships have resulted in quite as fruitful pairings.
Minnie and Moskowitz is currently available to watch on YouTube.
6. Love Streams (1984)
From the beginning of Cassavetes and Rowlands’ filmed work together, we jump to the end with 1984’s Love Streams. The film also stands as the last one which is recognizably a Cassavetes work.
Love Streams stars Cassavetes and Rowlands as a brother and sister who come together at their lowest point. She’s attempting to bounce back from a failing marriage. Meanwhile, he’s struggling in the face of personal demons. The work is one of the director’s smallest and most intimately scaled. Cassavetes’ script was based on a play of the same name by Ted Allan.
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Throughout Cassavetes’ career, he often focuses on friends and romantic partnerships. In choosing this time to spotlight a brother and sister, he finds a selfless bond. It’s not reliant on sex. There aren’t complications of friendship. This is family and as such, the pain inside of these two damaged people is that much more palpable. Plus, I keep saying it, but Cassavetes and Rowlands are always better when they’re together.
Love Streams is easiest to find on physical media.
5. Husbands (1970)
As a director, Cassavetes is inherently interested in relationships. In this list so far, we’ve talked about the director spotlighting both romantic and familial. In his 1970 directorial outing Husbands, he this time tackles questions of friendship and masculinity.
The film follows friends played by real-life buddies, Cassavetes, Peter Falk, and Ben Gazzara. After the death of an unseen member of their wolf-pack, the three men find themselves wallowing in a midlife crisis. They travel to Europe, hoping to discover more about themselves and what they are missing in their hum-drum lives.
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Truthfully, Husbands does rank among one of the more difficult of Cassavetes’ works from a stylistic perspective. With a cast made up of close friends, everyone is on the exact same page and the film is the one to best depict Cassavetes’ specific ideas on character. It is unconventional, improvisational and it feels ever so slightly erratic.
The first time I watched Husbands, this largely sums up my thoughts on the picture. The style felt almost alienating. However, simmering on it in the months to follow, I found myself with a change of heart. The humanity in these characters stayed with me. The unconventional and personal nature of Husbands is what I remembered and in that, it stands out as one of the director’s best.
Husbands is currently streaming on Tubi.
4. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a film that underwent a fascinating evolution in my head in the time after I first watched it, as did Husbands. Initially, I wasn’t bowled over by this movie. It felt dirty and cringe-worthy. However, it is at the same time a work that lived rent-free in my brain. After a few months of reflecting, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie leapfrogged its way up my opinion rankings.
The film tells the story of a Los Angeles strip club owner (Ben Gazzara) who must come to terms with not only his gambling addiction but also everything that implies. The mob, violence, debt… it’s a dog-eat-dog world, out there. Timothy Carey and Seymour Cassel co-star in the movie. Cassavetes directs The Killing of a Chinese Bookie from his own script.
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This feature is a bit of an outlier in the Cassavetes pantheon. All these movies are undeniably dark, but he’s exploring something different here. There’s a sense of isolation that isn’t as present in these other films. Loneliness and desperation is certainly a hallmark of Cassavetes’s works. However, in many of his films, his leads are isolated in the face of the establishment or a group unit. In The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Cosmo (Gazzara) is very much on his own and truthfully, Gazzara is rarely better than he is in this film. His performance is a haunting one that sticks with you.
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.
3. Opening Night (1977)
It was Opening Night which (in truth) started my trip down John Cassavetes lane. I started the drama while I was working through Peter Bogdanovich‘s filmography because the director is credited as an actor in the drama. Bogdanovich has one line in the last two minutes of the movie, but I digress.
Opening Night tells the story of the chaos surrounding the opening of a play. Gena Rowlands stars as the lead actress. She’s struggling in her personal life. Not only is she facing the fact that she’s getting older, but this insecurity also fuels the alcoholism she’s barely keeping in check. Ben Gazzara, Joan Blondell, and Paul Stewart co-star in the movie. Cassavetes directs Opening Night from his own script.
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Watching Opening Night, I found myself absolutely floored by the acting. While there are certainly many works on this list that really can be called tour-de-force performances from all these actors, Opening Night was my entry point. This is once again, an Oscar-worthy performance from Rowlands. Her work is beautiful, searing, and guttural every time she steps on-screen. Particularly staggering is the film’s conclusion which settles the audience down to watch the play.
The scene is a simple one. It’s an unflinching moment of reality as Cassavetes and Rowlands play through the final scene in front of the audience. Their chemistry is top-notch (they were married after all) and the performer and director meld seamlessly to craft the tension. Will Myrtle be able to get through the scene? The work is beautiful in its simplicity and mastery.
Opening Night is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.
2. Gloria (1980)
Like oh-so-many of my lists, the last two entries really come down to a horse race. In truth, either of the next two films could probably bring this listicle to a close. However, someone has to be number two.
It should come as no surprise that our top three films share one thing. They are each Gena Rowlands vehicles. As mentioned below, Rowlands and Cassavetes truly brought out the best in each other and they are never better than when they’re working together.
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Gloria follows Rowlands as a woman who finds herself unwittingly pulled in when her young neighbor’s (John Adames) family is murdered. She becomes the only guardian the child has and as such is the only person able to protect him.
When all is said and done, Gloria feels like one of Cassavetes’ more accessible movies. In fact, the film brings a very contemporary feel. The restrained thriller could have been made in 1980 or 2022. Its formula is still very much in play today. It’s exciting and action-packed, but it brings all the depth and power we associate with John Cassavetes.
Gloria is currently streaming on Tubi.
1. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
A Woman Under the Influence gives us by far and away the most dynamic Gena Rowlands portrayal on this list… and that’s saying a lot.
A Woman Under the Influence is far from an easy sit. However, this 1974 drama shows Cassavetes hitting a new level in his work. The film follows Rowlands as a quirky housewife who’s just trying to hang on. Things aren’t easy. Her husband (Peter Falk) doesn’t understand his wife and finds himself with no choice but to commit her as she continues to struggle with mental health issues.
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I’ve said it a lot, but this role is Rowlands at her fiercest. She delivers a career performance in this challenging drama and frankly, she should have won the Oscar she was nominated for.
For his part, Cassavetes crafts yet another harrowing examination of relationships in this married couple who desperately love each other, but can’t understand one another. It’s beautifully human, yet incredibly tragic all at the same time. Get yourself ready, grab your tissues and watch this one. It doesn’t get any better than this for John Cassavetes.
A Woman Under the Influence is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel.
When All Is Said and Done…
In the thirty years since John Cassavetes’ passing, he’s become recognized as one of the fathers of Independent Hollywood cinema. Throughout his almost thirty years behind the camera, he never shied away from doing things his way. These films are often raw, and sometimes they’re a little rough, but they are heartfelt examinations of intense and utterly human characters. His work is the stuff creativity is made of.
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