Film Review: "An Unmarried Woman" (1978)
Runtime: 125 minutes
Director/Writer: Paul Mazursky
Stars: Jill Clayburgh, Alan Bates, Michael Murphy, Cliff Gorman, Pat Quinn, Kelly Bishop, Lisa Lucas, Linda Miller
The first time I saw Jill Clayburgh in a film, she was deep in her “mom” roles - fairly two dimensional characters that she somehow found a way to Trojan horse some depth to them. So, visiting the film which garnered the late-actress an Academy Award nomination was a must.
“An Unmarried Woman” follows Erica (Clayburgh), who, despite being in a stalled out marriage, feels content enough with her life. All of it comes crashing down when her husband, Martin (Michael Murphy) reveals he is having an affair and plans to be with his mistress. For 1978, divorce was still very taboo and uncommon. Women being able to open their own bank accounts and have their own credit cards were extremely new ideas. So, we see our protagonist on this journey of self-discovery while also having to dismantle some of her own tightly held beliefs on life, love, and womanhood.
The film is very progressive in the way it portrays divorce. Erica has friends who are divorced, but even her therapist discloses that she too is a divorcee. Erica is embodiment of both liberation and stigmatization. We learn that she’s only been with one person for her entire adulthood.
What is additionally striking, more than 40 years after the fact, is the frankness in conversation about other taboo subjects. Erica’s daughter, Patti (Lisa Lucas) has a conversation with Erica about a classmate’s abortion. Erica’s friend, Elaine (Kelly Bishop) discloses her struggles with depression and her need for medication. I mean, Erica literally sees a therapist! It’s astonishing how much this film seamlessly covers.
And at the center of it all is a tremendous performance by Clayburgh. She makes Erica glorious in all of her mess. Whether she is yelling at Patti’s boyfriend and then quickly admitting the errors of her ways, or trying to have casual sex with a coworker after her separation, or exploring the possibility of a new relationship altogether, Clayburgh breathes life and empathy into all of these moments. It is a nuanced performance. Clayburgh shows the juxtaposing elements of Erica. Erica is both a mature woman and someone who has regressed to being an unsure young woman. At the time of filming, Clayburgh was in her mid-30’s, so I expect Erica to be around the same age - and we know that 30'-something isn’t very old. Clayburgh understands that she both a woman who has a plethora of experiences while embarking, alone, on a new journey of self-discovery.
It is truly a stunning performance. It makes sense she earned an Oscar nomination for her work. Clayburgh was certainly a special actress. She fully entered the world her characters while inhabiting her being without judgement. Her work in this piece is truly phenomenal.
As someone who is skeptical of men at all times, I was wary of this film. However, after watching this film, I was blown away by Mazursky’s view of women and Clayburgh’s ability to inhabit a woman at a crossroads. I cannot recommend this film enough and Clayburgh’s performance really cements its humanism. “An Unmarried Woman” is floored me as a film lover, and I cannot recommend it enough.
