The 1970s are widely considered the era in which American cinema underwent its biggest shift in identity, both stylistically and thematically. The industry had always sought out ways to develop itself, but it was during this era, which we know as usually being grouped under the umbrella phase of New Hollywood, that most of these ideas came to fruition. As a result of having new cinematic voices that were both ambitious and prolific, we are always making discoveries or encountering major works that are either underseen or massively overlooked, despite being very strong entries into their respective genres. Puzzle of a Downfall Child is one of these films, and while not obscure by any means, it is a film that has not been discussed as widely as it perhaps ought to have been, which is likely a result of it being one of the more challenging endeavours of the era, which is made even more notable by the fact that it was a relatively early work of experimental storytelling, coming a few years before the mainstream were this responsive to more unconventional works. Telling the story of a model named Lou Andreas Sands, who spends a long afternoon recounting her past to her friend and a former flame in her quaint beach house, the film is a striking portrait of a woman on the verge of a breakdown, someone who has fallen fatally under the influence of her surroundings, and who has fought to emerge with as much of her dignity and sanity as she could take with her, even if all she had left were the paltry remnants of a once incredible career. The directorial debut of the criminally underpraised Jerry Schatzberg, who made a few tremendous films during this era, Puzzle of a Downfall Child is a fascinating document of the early 1970s, as seen through the perspective of someone whose insightful sense of direction and attention to detail stood him in good stead, as his efforts in telling this story resulted in one of the more provocative dramas of this period and a film that truly dares to go in search of answers to some of the culture’s most pressing existential quandaries.

There is a tendency to look at films with this subject matter and dismiss them as “crazy women pictures”, by which they were often structured around female characters that feel like they have been wronged by a male-dominated society, and choose to express their disdain for their position by speaking out in erratic and increasingly furious ways, leading to them being perceived as insane when in reality it points towards deeper issues. Puzzle of a Downfall Child is often grouped with these films in a brutally myopic genre that is often disregarded, despite every one of these films saying something important. There are many moving parts that drive this film, and it is often quite difficult to step into this world since it moves so fast and allows very little space for us to follow it – but this is all part of what the director intended to be an atmospheric mood piece, a portrait of both the quintessential modern woman, as well as a depiction of the socio-cultural milieux in which she existed, which created a perpetual contradiction, where the environment is responsible for creating this kind of character, but yet this social structure can only exist if these people are willing to uphold its standards, a social symbiosis that Schatzberg is very keen to explore. This film serves as a portrait of life in the early 1970s, where the supposed libertine love and progressive, open-minded morality of the 1960s were quickly extinguished in favour of paranoia and existential dread, a byproduct of the interweaving of political strife with growing social panic. All of this is viewed through the eyes of a model who sees the world changing around her, and who has always struggled to find a place within it, even while she was at her peak. Frequently, we are given shocking but profound glimpses into the lives of this character, whose perspective offers us a bleak but profound interpretation of the formative years of a decade that would bring many conflicting challenges across every conceivable sector, the changes made during this time having long-last effects that are still factored into the global culture to this very day.

In forming Puzzle of a Downfall Child, Schatzberg and screenwriter Carole Eastman (writing under the pseudonym Adrian Joyce, and who is perhaps the primary author of the story, considering it is a dialogue-based character study) work laboriously to construct the character of Lou Andreas Sands, who is more than just the central protagonist, but essentially a mouthpiece for an entire generation of women driven into a very particular socio-cultural corner as a result of standards and beliefs that drove the culture. The role needed an actor who was capable of being both steadfast and a strong presence, while still showing deep vulnerability – a performer whose work would reflect the fact that this character was somehow one of the architects of the system that stifled her, one of the many intentionally fascinating contradictions that propel this film. Much like Eastman’s other great film from this year, the stunning Five Easy Pieces, this film relies on its performers to keep the story moving, and in this case that responsibility is mainly handed to Faye Dunaway, who has the central role, and essentially carries the film all on her own, being given brief but meaningful assistance by the likes of Vivica Lindfors and Roy Scheider, who are woven into the narrative at various points, but aren’t integral in the progression of its plot. Dunaway is a revelation here – she had been working for a few years and therefore wasn’t a discovery, but she was able to step away from the kinds of characters she was constantly asked to play, instead stepping into the role of a woman trying desperately to cling to the last vestiges of her sanity, which erodes consistently throughout the film. Dunaway’s talents have never been doubted, and she remains one of the most celebrated actors of her generation – but even with this acclaim, her work in Puzzle of a Downfall Child shows not only her exceptional range but her active willingness to develop her characters beyond where it was necessary, which often resulted in truly vivid, compelling performances that are some of the best committed to film during this period.

Perhaps the one aspect of Puzzle of a Downfall Child that is worth noting outside of Dunaway’s masterful performance is the style of the direction. Schatzberg did not have prior experience as a film director and was moving to this new vocation after a career in photography. This is not at all difficult to believe if one simply takes any single frame of this film and examines it, even from a distance. This is a film composed of images more than movements, with the director’s visual approach being one that prioritises striking imagery more than fluid motions. This is intrinsically tied into Dunaway’s performance, as her statuesque beauty is integral to the film, which has long moments of just focusing on her face, even just simply staring into the distance – in theory, this is not an approach that should work, since it seems to be drawing on ideas that don’t quite mesh with the intention of filmmaking, which is about more than just capturing single moments, but rather putting them together in creative ways. Naturally, this is only one way of looking at this film, and Schatzberg can weave very traditional elements into the story. The screenplay is sharp and gives him the chance to make his debut with a very simple story, but one that is open-ended enough to allow for him to experiment and add his directorial flourishes, which are self-assured and compelling in their way, showcasing his remarkable prowess as a filmmaker that has a keen eye for detail and a lot of dedication to developing the ideas behind the images that he captures, which is often not possible when it comes to photography on its own, whereby context is viewed as supplementary rather than being woven into the process of consuming the work, as is the case with this film. However, this is entirely the point and the reason Puzzle of a Downfall Child feels so unique as a directorial achievement, despite not being a very traditional piece of auteur-driven cinema, at least not in conventional terms.

For all that has been written about the 1970s over the years, it is a surprise that Puzzle of a Downfall Child has only recently started to gain momentum, finally being viewed as a film worth discussing, even if only through the lens of a very particular kind of story that was very common during this era – but perhaps it is time to dispel the existence of this almost mythological concept of films that seek to contain the stories of women who have been pushed to the point of insanity by society since many of these films tend to be far more telling about the state of the industry and how it viewed women more than it was about these characters themselves. Lou Andreas Sands may be a fictional construction, but everything she is (as well as what she was told she could never be) is curated by societal standards, which are the principles that guide the film, at least in terms of showing her plight. It’s always a fascinating experience when we see a film like this and have to figure out whether the film is on the side of the hysterical protagonist or the oppressive social system that surrounds them, since this brings with it an abundance of potential to critically engage with cultural conversations on a deep and intriguing level. Puzzle of a Downfall Child is a tremendous film, anchored by a masterful performance by Dunaway, who was always at the peak of her skillfulness during this period, delivering an astonishing, well-crafted performance that is complex and simmering with intensity, perhaps more than it could handle at certain points. It is also a great way to start a discussion on Schatzberg, a director who may not be widely revered, but whose body of work is deeply respectable and quite compelling, warranting his retrospective conversation as a potentially underpraised master of his craft. A simple but affecting film, Puzzle of a Downfall Child tells a fascinating story with poise, sophistication and intensity, which is exactly what is required for a film with this subject matter.