The Show Must Go On…
Actress Myrtle Gordon is a functioning alcoholic who is a few days from the opening night of her latest play, concerning a woman distraught about aging. One night a car kills one of Myrtle's fans who is chasing her limousine in an attempt to get the star's attention. Myrtle internalizes the accident and goes on a spiritual quest, but fails to finds the answers she is after. As opening night inches closer and closer, fragile Myrtle must find a way to make the show go on.
Opening Night (1977) is a drama film directed by John Cassavetes, released on December 22, 1977 with a runtime of 2h 24m. It stars Gena Rowlands, John Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara and Joan Blondell. Viewers rate it 7.6 out of 10 across 267 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Opening Night before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Opening Night.
Trailer
Featurette
Gena Rowlands
as Myrtle Gordon
John Cassavetes
as Maurice Aarons
Ben Gazzara
as Manny Victor
Joan Blondell
as Sarah Goode
Paul Stewart
as David Samuels
Zohra Lampert
as Dorothy Victor
Laura Johnson
as Nancy Stein
John Tuell
as Gus Simmons
Ray Powers
as Jimmy
John Finnegan
as Bobby
Louise Lewis
as Kelly (as Louise Fitch)
Fred Draper
as Leo
Directed by John Cassavetes, written by John Cassavetes, produced by Michael Lally.
Average viewer score of 7.6/10 from 267 ratings.
Isn’t it curious that so many of us start and end our lives dependant on a bottle? “Myrtle” (Gena Rowlands) is one such creature. She’s an acclaimed actress who cannot function without her quota of Scotch. This hasn’t, as yet, impaired her ability or her popularity as she is about to take her next play to Broadway. Leaving rehearsals one evening in a heavy thunderstorm, her limo tragically collides with an adoring…
Reviewed on January 8, 2026
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Opening Night (1977) is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel and HBO Max, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Opening Night (1977) includes Gena Rowlands, John Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara, Joan Blondell and Paul Stewart. The film was directed by John Cassavetes. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Opening Night was released on December 22, 1977 and runs for 2h 24m.
Opening Night (1977) holds an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 from 267 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Opening Night trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
