Wanda
Directed by Barbara Loden
Written by Barbara Loden
1970/US
IMDb page
First viewing, Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Norman Dennis: If you don’t want anything you won’t have anything, and if you don’t have anything, you’re as good as dead.

Barbara Loden’s rambling story about a woman at loose ends is good but is it unmissable?

The setting is somewhere in the rust belt.  Wanda (Loden) works in a clothing factory,  She is not fast enough to be retained.  Her ex-husband is seeking custody of the children.  She shows up late at court wearing curlers and admits the kids would be better off without her. She then tries to eke out an existence by picking up men at bars.  Finally, she picks up the wrong guy, Norman Dennis (Michael Higgins)

Norman is super controlling and demeaning.  However, he seems to need a companion and takes her on a long road trip.  Toward the end, Norman informs Wanda that they are going to rob a bank.  She does not want to go along but doesn’t seem to realize she has a choice.

This is good as a character study of the lot of an uneducated woman with low self-esteem in the late 60’s early 70’s.  Loden is very good as the title character.  The production has a grimy, seedy feel throughout.  I’m not sorry I saw it but don’t consider it a must-see either.

Print was much better in the version I watched