Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Definition

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios) is a 1988 Spanish comedy film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma and María Barranco. The film that brought Almodóvar to widespread attention in the English-speaking world, it was nominated for the 1989 Academy Award for Best Foreign-language film, and won five Goya Awards including Best Film and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Maura.

It follows Pepa (Maura) as she slowly disintegrates following her lover's betrayal. Pepa attempts to track down her cheating boyfriend Iván (Fernando Guillén), enlisting the aid of an eccentric taxi driver (Guillermo Montesinos) who always seems to turn up when he is needed. She is distracted by her friend Candela (Barranco), who is also going mad because of her lover, a recently-arrested Shi'ite terrorist with plans to hijack a flight to Stockholm. Pepa tries to get a lawyer for Candela, but Paulina (Kiti Manver), the attorney she picks, is Iván's new lover and thus disinclined to help Pepa or her friend. Candela is meanwhile being seduced by Carlos (Banderas), Iván's son, who has come to sublet Pepa's apartment and stays to flirt after his fiancée Marisa (de Palma) drinks some drugged gazpacho. Two police officers come to investigate a anonymous tip Carlos rang in from Pepa's phone; with them is Carlos' mother, Iván's insane wife Lucía (Serrano). Pepa gets everyone but Lucía to drink the gazpacho, but the mad woman refuses, and escapes after revealing her plot to kill Iván at the airport as he leaves for Stockholm with Paulina. Lucía hijacks a motorcycle and Pepa follows with the same taxi driver as before, arriving just in time to save Iván's life so she can tell him she doesn't want him back anymore. Pepa goes home, where Marisa has finally woken up. Pepa reveals to her that the reason she was so desperate to track down Iván is that she is carrying his child, but she has realized over the course of the day that she does not need him any more.