Opening Night (1977)

In the bustling theater district of New Haven, Connecticut, acclaimed actress Myrtle Gordon finds herself in the throes of final rehearsals for her new play, The Second Woman, which is poised to grace the grandeur of Broadway. Myrtle's unpredictable behavior, amplified by her excessive drinking, begins to ripple disturbances among the cast and crew - notably her former lover and leading man, Maurice Aarons, the play's tormented director, Manny Victor, the profound playwright Sarah Goode, and the beleaguered producer David Samuels. The root of Myrtle's turmoil lies in her struggle to connect with her character, a woman grappling with the fading embers of her youth. Mirror-like, this character's plight echoes Myrtle's own denials and fears about aging, a reality that the seasoned Sarah Goode has come to embrace. As the pressure builds, tragedy strikes when an eager seventeen-year-old fan, Nancy Stein, meets a fatal accident while trying to meet her idol, Myrtle. This event sends Myrtle spiraling further into an emotional abyss, her guilt manifesting as haunting visions of the deceased Nancy. Myrtle convinces herself that she can manipulate these apparitions, using them as fuel for her performance, symbolizing the aspirations of the first "younger" woman. Yet, lurking beneath her bravado, she realizes that these visions are beyond her control, an unbidden mirror to her own chaos. As opening night looms, the question remains: Can Myrtle reclaim control of her life, confront her fears, and transcend through her performance? Or will she crumble under the weight of her guilt and the haunting echoes of her own mortality? The curtain rises, and the drama of Opening Night (1977) begins to unfold.

Opening Night is a drama movie featuring Gena Rowlands.

Opening Night is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Max and Max Amazon Channel.

It is also possible to buy Opening Night on Amazon Video, Apple TV and Vudu.