FILM 2354: 3 WOMEN (1977)

TRIVIA: Shelley Duvall's skirt getting stuck in the car door was initially accidental. Robert Altmanfound it amusing and asked her to intentionally do it throughout the rest of the filming.

The idiosyncrasies of the character "Millie Lammoreaux" were mostly conceived by Shelley Duvall.

Ingmar Bergman's Persona (1966) was a major influence on the project.

Robert Altman had a believer in the head of production at 20th Century Fox, Alan Ladd Jr.. He felt that he could indulge Altman's offbeat projects, while the studio's more commercial films like Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) would make up for any financial loss. Peter Biskind, author of "Easy Riders," reports in his book that Altman and Tommy Thompson were driving to the airport, when Altman said, "Let's stop at 20th. I had a dream last night, I want to sell it to Laddie. Keep the engine running, it'll only take a minute." Altman darted into Ladd's office, made a deal for "3 Women," and was back in the car in time to make his flight.

The murals had to be painted at night under studio lights because the intense desert heat made the paint boil.

Not only did the actors ad lib many of their lines, but Robert Altman has said that Shelley Duvall wrote all of the diary entries and, in addition, decorated her character's apartment and selected all of her food.

Shelley Duvall won the Best Actress Award for this film at the Cannes Film Festival in 1977. Duvall was also awarded the prize in the equivalent category from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association in the same year. Moreover, Sissy Spacek was awarded the Best Supporting Actress accolade for this film from the New York Film Critics Circle in 1977.

One of seven films that actress Shelley Duvall made with director Robert Altman. The films include Popeye (1980), Nashville (1975), 3 Women (1977), Brewster McCloud(1970), Thieves Like Us (1974), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), and Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976).

Film critic Roger Ebert named the movie his Best Film of 1977.

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #230.

This is featured on the podcast I Saw What You Did episode Laconic Oaf.