Analysis of Almodóvar's 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown'

This essay provides an analysis of the Spanish film "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," directed by Pedro Almodóvar. It explores the film's themes, including the portrayal of women in a patriarchal society and their emotional responses to the actions of men. The essay examines the cultural context of the film, made shortly after Spain's transition period, and how Almodóvar challenges societal norms and expectations of women. It delves into the characters, particularly Pepa Marcos, and the challenges she faces in relationships, highlighting the film's exploration of feminist perspectives, the limitations placed on women, and the impact of male actions on female lives. The analysis also touches on the film's comedic elements and its reflection of the social dynamics of the time, supported by references to relevant scholarly works.

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Analysis
The English meaning of the title “Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios” means
“Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” is a Spanish movie directed by Pedro
Almodóvar in 1988. It is a black comedy which won five Goya Awards for the Best Film. It
represents the culture based psychology where female usually displayed dramatic outpouring of
all the negative emotions and fainting on unusual occasions as in case of a panic attacks. The
movie was made just after the transition period in Spain. The Spain was under a long period of
repression and censorship that weakened the society. Almodóvar’s tries to cover the patriarchy of
the social system, where men hold power and predominate in all roles of society. His work seems
too superficial in empowering women. During those years family was expected to perpetuate key
element of tradition (Worthen, Lingiardi, & Caristo, 2017). The society was tightly controlled by
the political, social and traditional patriarchy, where men had the rights to abolish anything that
was out of norm. Thus, the role of women was limited to being a home maker. They had to stay
at home, care the children, do cleaning, and supporting their husbands.
The movie highlights the incapacity of men to remain honest in a relationship and every
time fails to take responsibility. Men creates problem that demands the change in the mood,
behavior and lifestyle of the women. Leaving the women alone, unsupported and fragile on the
verge of a nervous breakdown. The lead Pepa Marcos tries all her attempt to avoid the break up
with her boy friend Ivan. She is depressed as she is confronting the truth that her boyfriend Iván
has just left her. He is leaving for a trip with someone else and wanting Pepa to pack the suit case
for him (Ortega, 2019). There are other women in the movie who are also going the same phase
in life who meets Pepa at different time in the movie.
There is a scene in which Pepa tries to see a feminist lawyer but the secretary stops her
from seeing her as she is busy with a man on phone. The men is the reason for giving the movie
in a direction that presents that men are the reason for all decision for women to make. At most
of the places in the movie Pepa loses control and blames it to the man in her life. Even thou she
is independent and strong her all decisions and actions are dependent on a male character Ivan.
The feminist aspect underestimates the women’s power to step further, and evolve in sexual
liberation and feminism in Spain. The movie is overweighting this mask and not the reality of the
Spain of that time. The construction of femininity which socially imposed femininity falls in the

film by the end and makes it clear that women has always been giving men more important than
herself, due to the society’s demand (Pellicer-Ortín, & Tofantshuk, 2018). Almodóvar’s women,
are highly stylized and self-consciously who reveals the hidden power by breaking the
patriarchal surface by the action taken by Pepa. Almodóvar’s tried to stimulate evolution of
femininity developing all character strong.

Reference
Ortega, V. R. (2019). Trailing the Spanish Auteur: Almodóvar’s, Amenábar’s and de la Iglesia’s
Generic Routes in the US Market. In Contemporary Spanish cinema and genre.
Manchester University Press.
Pellicer-Ortín, S., & Tofantshuk, J. (2018). Women on the Move: Body, Memory and Femininity
in Present-Day Transnational Diasporic Writing. Routledge.
Worthen, M. G., Lingiardi, V., & Caristo, C. (2017). The roles of politics, feminism, and religion
in attitudes toward LGBT individuals: A cross-cultural study of college students in the
USA, Italy, and Spain. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 14(3), 241-258.