Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (M) PRESENTED IN 35MM FILM

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (M, 1988) Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House Perth

Pepa (Carmen Maura) is an actress and voice dubber whose life spirals into chaos when her lover Iván (Fernando Guillén) suddenly abandons her, leaving a message on her answering machine. Rather than accept his departure quietly, Pepa becomes increasingly frantic—attempting to track him down, confront him, and understand why he's left. Her apartment becomes a hub of activity as her friend Candela (Julieta Serrano) arrives fleeing the police after unknowingly dating terrorists, and Pepa's taxi-driving son Carlos (Antonio Banderas) shows up with his fiancée Marisa (Rossy de Palma), a nervous woman with her own psychological issues. As Pepa prepares a drugged gazpacho to render everyone unconscious so she can focus on finding Iván, the situation becomes increasingly absurd, culminating in a climactic encounter at the airport where all the film's characters converge in a frenzy of emotion, misunderstanding, and darkly comic desperation.

Director Pedro Almodóvar brings his signature maximalist style to this 1988 Spanish comedy that celebrates female chaos and emotional authenticity over social convention. The film's visual aesthetic is explosively colorful—vibrant oranges, blues, and reds dominate the mise-en-scène, reflecting the emotional intensity of Pepa's internal state. Carmen Maura delivers a powerhouse performance as a woman refusing to suffer in silence, making her desperation both comedic and genuinely touching. The supporting cast—particularly Rossy de Palma's wonderfully neurotic Marisa and young Antonio Banderas—creates a gallery of beautifully flawed characters. The film treats female emotional expression not as hysteria to be mocked but as authentic response to betrayal and loss. Bernardo Bonezzi's jazzy score adds sophistication to the chaos. Almodóvar's direction balances screwball comedy with genuine pathos, celebrating the messiness of human emotion and female agency in a male-dominated world.

Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.

When: Sunday, July 12th at 1:30PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: M (The content is moderate in impact)