Cynthia O’Neal‘s performance as Cindy, a chilly, highly perceptive opportunist and she-wolf wearing the clothing of a sexy, high-toned girlfriend, was astonishing. Her manner was cool and cynical and altogether commanding.
The odds are highly against the possibility of audiences ever seeing another performance of this type, especially given that women these days aren’t allowed to play users or takers — only victims and revenge-getters.
Born in 1934, O’Neal was 36 in this scene. She’s still with us.
I hope it’s also understood that poisoned relationship argument scenes like this will never be seen again either…not in movie theatres, not on cable or streaming. Fucked-up sexist characters like Jack Nicholson‘s Jonathan Fuerst have been outlawed.
