Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Director: Pedro Almodóvar
Writer: Pedro Almodóvar
Based on: Jean Cocteau’s play La Voix Humaine
Cast: Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, María Barranco, Rossy de Palma, Kiti Mánver, Fernando Guillén
Seen on: 26./27.4.2026

Plot:
Actress Pepa (Carmen Maura) has had an affair with her married colleague Iván (Fernando Guillén) for a while, but suddenly, just when she really needs to talk to him, he is avoiding her successfully and apparently off with yet another woman. As fate would have it, Iván’s son Carlos (Antonio Banderas) and his fiancée Marisa (Rossy de Palma) turn up on Pepa’s doorstep because they are interested in buying her apartment. And Pepa’s friend Candela (Maria Barranco) also shows up surprisingly, fearing that the police are looking for her. Nobody seems inclined to make Pepa’s life easier for her.

Women on the Verge… was Almodóvar’s first big successful film, and I can see why. It is a funny, energetic film that leans heavily on the screwball comedies of the 40s, I’d say. I enjoyed it a lot.

Women on the Verge… reminded me of screwball comedies, albeit one that was dipped in all of the colors, because it shares this kind of „battle of the sexes“ angle, often frantic pacing and sense of humor. But contrary to the classics of its genres, it is not two equals – a man and a woman – facing each other in their „battle“. It’s weak men who continually run away from any kind of confrontation and leave the women to deal with the aftermath of their actions on their own. The women really can only win, if they stop expecting anything from the men around them. It’s a pretty harsh comment on men that Almodóvar wraps in a shiny, wild and colorful package – so you barely notice the harshness.

Instead what you get is a campy comedy that doesn’t concern itself that much with likelihoods or plausibilities, but rather revels in coincidence. Everything is connected because the story needs it and not because it makes that much sense and nobody cares. It’s all part of the fun and the charm.

Propelled along by those coincidences and by a fast-talking, highly energized cast, the film moves quickly and is very entertaining. It probably won’t end up on any favorites list of mine, but I absolutely had a good time with it.

Summarizing: excellent fun.