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Tina Balser is a bored New York housewife-mother married to Jonathan, a pompous, social-climbing lawyer who ridicules her in front of their children, criticizing everything she does or wears. She begins an affair with George Prager, a dashing, successful, and blatantly sadistic writer.
Tina Balser is a bored New York housewife-mother married to Jonathan, a pompous, social-climbing lawyer who ridicules her in front of their children, criticizing everything she does or wears. She begins an affair with George Prager, a dashing, successful, and blatantly sadistic writer.
The film critiques traditional gender roles and the patriarchal nature of marriage through a woman's psychological breakdown and search for identity, aligning its dominant themes with progressive values.
The movie features a traditional, predominantly white main cast. However, its narrative strongly critiques traditional male identities and the patriarchal structures of marriage through the negative portrayal of the protagonist's husband and her struggle within her domestic role.
The film implies that Jonathan Balser, the protagonist's husband, is a closeted gay or bisexual man. This aspect is tied to his emotional distance and the superficiality of their marriage, contributing to the protagonist's distress. The portrayal links implied queer identity to a problematic character without affirmation or critique.
The film portrays Jonathan Balser and his mother, who are Jewish, as materialistic, pretentious, and emotionally manipulative. Jonathan is depicted as an abusive and self-absorbed husband, with their cultural background contributing to their negative characterization without significant counter-narrative.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
The film is a direct adaptation of Sue Kaufman's novel. All major characters, including Tina Balser, Jonathan Balser, and George Prager, retain the same gender as established in the original source material.
The film "Diary of a Mad Housewife" (1970) is an adaptation of Sue Kaufman's 1967 novel. All primary characters, including Tina Balser, Jonathan Balser, and George Prager, are portrayed by actors whose race aligns with their established depiction in the source material. There are no instances where a character's race was changed from the original canon.
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources