Movie

Opening Night

“The Show Must Go On…”

★ 7.6(258)19772h 24m

Opening Night is streaming on Criterion Channel in Canada, and available to rent or buy on Apple TV Store. Availability checked 16 June 2026.

Where to watch Opening Night

🇨🇦 Canada

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Apple TV StoreRent

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Good to know

Director: John Cassavetes
Release date: 1977-12-22
Runtime: 2h 24m
Language: English
Status: Released
Country: United States of America
Studio: Faces International Films

Opening Night — trailer

About Opening Night

Opening Night is a 1977 movie in the Drama genre, directed by John Cassavetes, starring Gena Rowlands, John Cassavetes and Ben Gazzara. It has a runtime of 2 hours 24 minutes. It holds an average rating of 7.6/10 from 258 viewers. Below you can see where to watch Opening Night in Canada — across streaming, rental and purchase options — along with the full cast, trailer and viewer reviews.

Synopsis

Actress Myrtle Gordon is a functioning alcoholic who is a few days from the opening night of her latest play, concerning a woman distraught about aging. One night a car kills one of Myrtle's fans who is chasing her limousine in an attempt to get the star's attention. Myrtle internalizes the accident and goes on a spiritual quest, but fails to finds the answers she is after. As opening night inches closer and closer, fragile Myrtle must find a way to make the show go on.

Cast

Gena Rowlands

Myrtle Gordon

John Cassavetes

Maurice Aarons

Ben Gazzara

Manny Victor

Joan Blondell

Sarah Goode

Paul Stewart

David Samuels

Zohra Lampert

Dorothy Victor

Laura Johnson

Nancy Stein

John Tuell

Gus Simmons

Ray Powers

Jimmy

John Finnegan

Bobby

Louise Lewis

Kelly (as Louise Fitch)

Fred Draper

Leo

Themes & keywords

alcoholautographagingapparitioncar accidentnervous breakdownobsessed fanalcoholicbroadway starstage playbroadway theatrelost youthpsychological disorderformer loversaging actress