Love this movie. Wish I could see it again. Very realistic honest account of a woman who loses her marriage and finds herself again.

An Unmarried Woman should have been unseen by my tender eyes. However I have to say it was a really good movie even for a child under 11.

In 2022 this film seems a tad dated. However, being a "70s person," I feel it captures the era in an almost time capsule-like approach. The setting, the music, and the "women vs. status quo" storyline are very realistic for 1978. Personally, I think Jill Clayburgh deserved the Oscar for Best Actress.

Love this film. Jill Clayburgh is brilliant is this touching, funny, nuanced exploration of a film by Paul Mazursky. This film was right on time when it came out, and still holds up today. A must see

Thoroughly independent in its financing and creation, An Unmarried Woman nevertheless has a certain tactile urban scope that opens the movie beyond what could, in other hands, be a walled-in drama. Critically, it goes down more the way a comedy would; somehow light on its ballet feet and altogether digestible, but devoid of one-liners or gags. This is Mazursky's ingenious touch as writer/director. Paraphrasing author Sam Wasson in his new, brief video interview contained on the recent Criterion Blu-ray edition as a bonus feature, Mazursky wasn't the most cinematic of filmmakers, nor was he the funniest. But he understood human ticks and foibles in raw, real, and subtle ways, and knew how to put his actors at ease enough to deliver these key things through their performances. At the same time, it's a tight film, devoid of that "improv-y" decompression that haunts the work of Judd Apatow and other later filmmakers who sometimes lean into his style.

There wasn't enough story here and the characters were not well developed.

The late 1970s produced a lot of great films about the subject of divorce, from Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) to Interiors (1978) but this film will always have a special place in my heart due to Jill Clayburgh's glorious performance. She gives the best performance of the year in a year that gave us Geraldine Page in Interiors (1978) and Melanie Mayron in Girlfriends (1978). Her natural charm combines with a subtle and nuanced screenplay that allows her to show the width and breadth of her talents. Director Paul Mazursky also delves into deeper subject matter than he explored in Blume in Love (1973) and does it rather well as he blends his unique humor and observational style with naturalistic editing and pacing that makes you feel as though you are simply watching a woman's life unfold than waiting for a big dramatic moment to occur. Erica Benton, Jill Clayburgh, is left by her longtime husband Martin, Michael Murphy, for his younger mistress. She struggles to raise her precocious teenage daughter Patti, Lisa Lucas, in addition to working at an art gallery and beginning new relationships after his departure. She is supported by her close circle of friends with the hard nosed Elaine, Kelly Bishop, the caring Jeanette, Linda Miller, and the dismissive Sue, Pat Quinn. After a brief liaison with artist Charlie, Cliff Gorman, who has long held feelings for her she begins a relationship with divorced British artist Saul, Alan Bates. When she begins to feel that Saul is trying to control her she asserts herself more and establishes clear boundaries with him so that she can retain her sense of self. When her husband attempts to return to her after being dumped she rejects him as she is now confident in herself and her new relationship. This film, much like Kramer vs. Kramer, views the divorce or the separation as could be more accurately referred to, from one side of the relationship but unlike that film it is from the female perspective. We also see our protagonist's life outside of their relationship with their child and their job. Here, Benton has an exciting social life that she really values and each of her friends have clearly defined personality types that are expressed through discussions of classic film stars or one of their nineteen year old lovers. The bond between these women seemed realistic and it was joyous to see them reassure one another as well as revealing their embarrassing secrets over glasses of wine and rich food. Benton's love life is also valued as we are very quickly asked to recognize that Clayburgh is an attractive woman, we see several men give her appreciative glances, who men would be willing to pursue. She also has casual sex without being judged for it and bats of the advances of a man without being seen as a shrewd. The progressive values of the film mean that it has held up better than a lot of films concerning women to come out of this era. This film was nominated for Best Picture in 1978 and I have to say that I think it deserved it's nomination despite how small of a film it is. Personally I think that The Deer Hunter (1978) was the best of the five nominated films and fortunately it won but this would have been my second favorite of the five with Midnight Express (1978), Heaven Can Wait (1978) and the dreadful Coming Home (1978) following it. I am attempting to watch every Best Picture nominee of all time and seeing a film that is not a three hour long historical epic is pleasant as it doesn't contain the clichés and conventions of that genre and provides more room for creativity. It is unfortunate that this film has been forgotten over the years as it still holds up to modern standards and also works as a great time capsule of the late 1970s. When utter trash like Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) is still being watched today I find it so disappointing that people don't go back and explore Clayburgh's wonderful late 1970s work and I hope at some point this film gets widely rediscovered because it's a real treat.

The best inspiring movie ever made!

An unmarried woman tells the story of Erica Benton a married woman who finds out her husband has been cheating on her for a lengthy period of time. The two separate and Erica is left with a not only a broken heart but also a wide range of emotions including confusion and uncertainty about how to move on. The film follows Erica as she discovers what its like to be single after so many year being married. This is an interesting film with a feminist vibe to it, I enjoyed it. The movie's core is it's exploration of the idea of a woman being liberated after suffering heartbreak. I can tell this inspired a lot of conversation about marriage and women not being afraid of being single, to be strong and have fun when it comes to dating. A very well crafted original script. Great directing from paul Mazursky. The mood and direction of the film wasn't sappy or clichéd it was intriguing and refreshing at the time. Jill Clayburgh performance is tremendous and empowering for women. She takes us on a real journey with this woman who struggles to navigate the single life. lisa lucas did a great job in here. I liked this brutally honest character of patricia who is almost expericing erica's man troubles as a teen. alan bates did a very good job here. he managed to have great chemistry with Clayburgh. Saul is very similar to Erica and manages to bring out aspects of her personality that she had laid dormant for sometime. Motiff's of sadness, confusion and anger are a very much apparent in the film. great cinematography and lighting. good editing as well and the music was fantastic! So 70's and really added to the style of the film. the ending was actually very clever as we by that point see the fully changed woman that Erica becomes through the usage of the painting. An excellent feature that caters to all the single ladies out there

When the plot of a film is a very simple every day story that we've all scene and heard before, in order for it to win me over there has to be something special going on that draws me in. An Unmarried Woman failed that test miserably. This film is essentially a Lifetime movie that might not even make it to air nowadays. The story is literally: a woman's marriage falls apart and she deals with divorce. There's no interesting twist, no notable acting performance, and no intriguing dialogue. It's a flat film with a dull plot and bland actors. I was bored, annoyed, and utterly baffled that this was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. It seems that this movie might have been a product of its time, and dealing with divorce was something new that needed to be explored on the big screen. I simply don't think it has aged well, and it had nothing to offer that I enjoy when watching a movie. I made it through to the end, simply because I think once you've invested more than an hour in this woman's life, curiosity gets the better of you and you want to know how it will end. Sadly, it ended in the most predictable and lackluster way. There's nothing that I liked about An Unmarried Woman, and I somewhat regret wasting my time on it.

This intelligent, sincere, and very funny study of a female divorcée from the late 1970s is still relevant, making it all the more fascinating.

I was completely charmed by this film. The characters are smart and funny and feel real, especially the women. Kelly Bishop in particular is delightful as Jill Clayburgh's bipolar best friend. With its frank and thoughtful discussions of sex and relationships it definitely feels like a precursor to Sex and the City. The scenes of the four female friends drinking together and gabbing in the back of New York City cabs makes me think Michael Patrick King must have been inspired when creating his series some 20 years later. Even some of the saxophone heavy scoring is reminiscent and Carrie's outfit in the series' opening credits could easily have been an homage to Clayburgh's final costume in the film.

Paul Mazursky's poignant, observant and moving drama is his magnum opus as a director and writer. The film's greatest asset is the bravura turn by the late Jill Clayburgh who delivers the performance of her career, that earned her a richly deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Ms. Clayburgh plays Erica, a New York City, Upper East Side woman who seems to be doing all the right things until the day her husband of 16 years, played superbly by Michael Murphy, announces he's leaving her for another younger woman. Ms. Clayburgh's realignment of her priorities is fascinating to watch, and she slowly becomes an independent, strong, proficient woman who discovers her new sexual freedom. Brilliant direction by the late Paul Mazursky who also wrote the intelligent Academy Award nominated original screenplay with skillful attention to character details. Exceptional supporting performances by Alan Bates, Cliff Gorman, Patricia Quinn, Kelly Bishop, Lisa Lucas, Linda Miller, and Andrew Duncan. Nominated for 3 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Highly Recommended.

I enjoyed this but felt disconnected emotionally- it could have benefitted from pushing more boundaries and rearranging some scenes. The sex scene with the creep artist gets more chemistry than Alan Bates' does. Ultimately satisfying though, I enjoy her anger and I enjoy her choices to not look back. Great final scene as well.

Uma série de diálogos coloridos e a consistência dos personagens contribuem para que "An Unmarried Woman" seja bastante recomendável como filme sofisticado sobre a recuperação emocional de uma mulher. A localização nova-iorquina e a existência de um quarteto de amigas fazem crer que o filme de Paul Mazursky poderá ter sido uma forte influência na concepção de "Sex and the City". Jill Clayburgh tem também um papel que nos deixar a pensar no porquê da actriz não ter ido muito mais longe que isto na carreira.

Yes, this movie can feel dated at times but obviously any movie dealing with social issues will - that's the measure of progress! The 1970s were a time of great social change, when all of the "radical" ideas of the 1960s finally seeped into Middle America. This movie depicts that time of sweeping social change. Jill Clayburgh is wonderful as a woman who finds herself "unmarried" after years of being the perfect wife. She finds a new family in her friends, learns to stand on her own with support from her lesbian therapist, and discovers the pain and joy of overcoming her "fear of flying." This movie is the upside of that other 70a single-woman film, "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" so don't deny Jill her happiness. The final scene of her struggling with that huge canvas through the early era of SoHo is one of the classic images of 70s cinema - you just know she's going to make it after all.

I have not seen AN UNMARRIED WOMAN in almost twenty years. However this iconic film from 1978 was my very first adult film, alone at a movie theatre back when I was only fourteen [I saw it back-to-back with Woody Allen's MANHATTAN at the Place Ville Marie]. Watching it again, I really wonder if I even understood it. Nonetheless I remember it having such an impact on me. Seeing it again, this psychologically complex film still stings and most definitely resonates. It's a remarkable film of its time, the end of an era, a decade with women's lib hit its peak. Paul Mazursky's incisive script is punctuated by an outstanding, natural performance from the illuminating Jill Clayburgh. Even the throwback feel of the film, clearly dated but in a way that works in its favour, makes it identifiable even by today's standards. Why it works as well as it does? Most possibly because it's a movie about love, marriage, divorce and the human touch. Beautiful from start to finish with just enough optimism at the very end. Just like real life.

A subtle psychological drama. At times, the pace of the movie is much too slow. But Jill Clayburgh is always magnificent and touching in the leading role. She is also disturbingly real, and authentically beautiful.

Okay, right off the bat I'm pretty p.o. If you take your clothes off in front of your husband and literally stick your naked breasts in his FACE, while he's lying relaxed on your marital bed, and you then refuse to have sex with him... then you are a total beyotch from he11. That is all.

there's definitely a level of bravery involved here, both in the subject matter chose, and the way the issues are explored. i can't imagine there being a lot of female-centric films prior to this one, and this set precedent for an entire genre and movement of film. having said that, it lacked emotional authenticity and was unoriginal in terms of filmmaking and visual language. it's a shame that a film that was a pioneer in so many ways, failed on such a basic level. such wasted potential.