altman's three women

easily the most interesting american film i've seen in years. incredible that this was a hollywood production. a study in identity merging to rival bergman's personautterly enigmatic and yet captivating from start to finish. of its time and yet speaking well beyond it.

david sterrett's essay for the criterion collection is excellent, giving the historical context and placing the film in altman's oeuvre, as well as suggesting where interpretation might go in what is ultimately an irreducible film. (you may also want to watch once with altman's commentary, as he reveals his own take on the film's famously mysterious closing sequence.)