Middle-aged husband Richard abruptly tells his wife, Maria, that he wants a divorce. As Richard takes up with a younger woman, Maria enjoys a night out with her friends, and finds solace in the arms of a young man. But as the night proceeds, a series of tense conversations and confrontations occur.

Forget the polite introductions: Cassavetes’ vigorous, heated film goes straight into a drunken night, full of scattershot emotions, rambling, and resentment. Shot on high-contrast 16mm, this visually striking early work stars Gena Rowlands in the throes of a middle-class existential crisis.