One of the best movies I've ever seen.It's closeness to Bergman's "Persona" is strongly felt,though both films are very individual pieces of art of two very different artists.It's a movie that leaves you thinking about it long after you finished watching it.One of it's strongest sides is a wonderful music that comes back to my mind every time I think about the film's disturbing images.The acting is excellent,especially by Spacek and Duvall and the operator's work is gorgeous. The film is about two common,mediocre,untalented(one,Millie,pretentious and pathetic and another one,Pinky,a grown-up infant who needs constant support and care)young women doing simple jobs in the Old Men's House(this is what they know and can do)and much older,quiet,reclusive but gifted artist Willie who paints beautiful murals describing strange male and female creatures in violent and sexual acts.I think these paintings are the key to understanding what kind of psychological relations Willie has with the outer world.This explains her estrangement and almost total silence during the film,giving preference to her wordless expression in an artful manner of her inner state and attitude towards the world.Actually this silent woman fells as a victim to the three other main characters - first losing her unfaithful,hard drinking friend-husband(?) Edgar as both Millie and then "new" Pinky in turn sleep with him(though both know very well that Willie is expecting a child)and then her baby when Pinky having been sent to call a doctor,just watches indifferently(this indifference is especially strongly felt after the Millie's "bloody" slap) as Millie is hopelessly trying to help Willie and finally fails. The ultimate expression of this unbearable cruelty of being is the dead-born baby,who "refuses to be born alive" into such a world.The end is open to interpretations:it may be easy to understand why Edgar could have been killed by Willie(though it is never revealed who did it),but it would be strange to discover that it is Pinky and Millie who actually did it(NOBODY FORCED them to sleep with Edgar and cause pain to Willie!). Love,depression,envy(What does Pinky think when she watches Willie painting?),psychological violence and hidden hatred are all interrelated in this superb human drama of an exceptionally talented film director.If you like cinema as an art,you won't regret watching it.Highly recommended.
