3 Women (film)

Infobox Film
name = 3 Women


image_size =
caption =
director = Robert Altman
producer = Robert Altman
writer = Robert Altman
narrator =
starring = Shelley Duvall
Sissy Spacek Janice Rule
music = Gerald Busby
cinematography = Chuck Rosher
editing = Dennis Hill
distributor = 20th Century Fox
released = April 3, 1977
runtime = 124 minutes
country = United States
language = English
budget = US$1 500 000
preceded_by =
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website =
amg_id = 1:113641
imdb_id = 0075612

"3 Women" is a 1977 film directed by Robert Altman, starring Shelley Duvall, Sissy Spacek, and Janice Rule. The story came directly from a dream Altman had, which he did not fully understand, but nonetheless adapted into a treatment, intending to film without a script. 20th Century Fox greenlit the project on Altman's reputation, but a script was completed before filming, although, as with most Altman films, the script is just a beginning point for what he shoots during production.

The minimal plot involves two women whose personalities are in sharp contrast when they first meet and move in together. The third woman of the titular three is a key supporting character -- a mural artist who lives at the same apartment building. The events take place in a small desert community typical of those found east of Los Angeles. For obvious reasons the film has a dream-like quality, focusing more on behavior, mood and mystery than on plot devices.

What the film is about exactly is open to interpretation, and even Altman has said he is not sure what the ending means but has a "theory" about what happens. What is clear is that the two principal characters undergo a transformation in which they exchange their relative status to each other. In this way, "3 Women" has a kinship with Bergman's "Persona".

Duvall plays a woman who is very confident of her personal charisma, and her attractiveness to men in particular, despite the fact that the men she hits on openly mock her for it. Spacek is a naive, childlike woman, who refuses to talk about her past and who initially idolizes Duvall. They both work at a physical therapy facility and much of the film takes place at their apartment building, where the third woman creates striking and somewhat unsettling murals.

DVD release

For years, the film was not available in home video in any form. This was alleged to be due to music rights; reportedly, the distributors of Altman's films "Images", "California Split", "3 Women", and "Health", had not negotiated music rights for home video release of the films, and, due to their relative obscurity, they were never expected to be released.

"3 Women" was the first of these films to be released when The Criterion Collection licensed the rights from 20th Century Fox. The DVD includes an anamorphic transfer in the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio and a commentary track by Robert Altman.

References

External links

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* [http://www.criterion.com/asp/release.asp?id=230&eid=347&section=essay Criterion Collection essay by David Sterritt]