Safdie Brothers on Gloria

Josh and Benny Safdie react to John Cassavetes' 1980 classic Gloria, starring Gena Rowlands.

Source: Criterion

[jb]

I was obsessed with this movie as a kid. Stuck in a crappy apartment in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Alone all day and night(single mom with two jobs and a party habit)…in the summer, I’d stay in and watch HBO all day. When Gloria came on(in the 80s), I’d watch it every time. I was enthralled with seeing NYC in such a real and grounded way. Gena was so good…so real. I was about the same age as the kid, so I identified with him. I paid a pretty penny for the dvd years ago coz I had to have my Gloria here to watch anytime. God bless you, Gena and John. One of my all time favorite films.

[TheRealValus]

"Maybe there never was an America.
Maybe it was all Capra." ❤‍🔥
- John Cassavetes

[thelastcontrarian]

I can't watch this movie without crying at the end of it. The love story is so unique in the sense that it is a maternal love story of a woman who never wanted to be a mother but she has all the instincts of one. So moving and beautiful. My favorite Cassavetes' film.

[brianvail]

Gena Rowlands was the real deal, no Love Boat cameos for her, just serious projects.

[cqsgcbt]

Great movie. New York is no less a protagonist than Gloria herself. The beautiful opening scene in which we start off flying high in the sky overlooking the New York skyline in all of its glory, and then start gradually moving in closer and closer eventually jumping head on into the story. Just another day in New York, just another story. Makes you wonder how many of those people wandering around those mysterious streets go through their own movie plot.

[davidbreen]

More Safdie Brothers commentary please.

[Brian_Boru]

The Gloria Blu-ray WILL become part of the Cabinet of Wonder

[noodleify]

Agree with everything the Safdies say here - Gena is electric, cool to see gritty NYC in the late 70s/early 80s, the mob guys looked cast right off the street. But I had a lot of issues with the story. Too many coincidences. No clear direction. Odd character choices (the kid doesn't cry after his entire family is wiped out??)

[taker]

She was a hitman? I thought she was just a girlfirend of a gangster (or several) so she knows the criminal life but she wasn't one herself.

[connordebruler]

Gloria is my favorite Cassavetes flick. also Luc Besson totally ripped it off for Leon

[jodi]

What, no love for the '99 Sharon Stone remake? 😜

[marielambert]

The safdie bros suck, why do you always put QT who cares what he thinks put other directors plz