Manhattan and Annie Hall are generally considered to be the best films from director/writer/actor Woody Allen. [Especially by those who haven't seen Bullets Over Broadway.] They're both better than Hannah and Her Sisters, a good film with a solid story and cast. All three films are about bittersweet relationships, but the former two are tighter, more original, and with even deeper characters.
Elliot (Michael Caine) is a manager of rock stars, happily wed to 'perfect' wife Hannah (Mia Farrow). However, he lusts after Hannah's sister Lee (Barbara Hershey). Meanwhile, Lee is in a relationship with intellectual, misanthropic painter Frederick (Max von Sydow). Hannah's former husband is hypochondriac Mickey (Woody Allen), whose fear of death has shaken his religious faith. Hannah's other sister is Holly (Dianne Wiest), a reformed coke addict who is unable to find a career to suit her diverse talents. Hannah's blunt spoken father is played by Lloyd Nolan, while Hannah's drunken, flirtatious mother is played by Maureen O'Sullivan.
O'Sullivan, the radiant actress from the 1930s (often confused with Maureen O'Hara and Margaret Sullavan) was Mia Farrow's real-life mother as well. Many of Farrow's children, both adopted and natural, also appear in the movie. Some of the scenes were filmed in Farrow's own apartment. Allen and Farrow, of course, were living together at the time, and she had frequent starring roles in his films.
Hannah and Her Sisters has a flood of talented character actors in small supporting roles. Among the familiar faces are Daniel Stern, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julie Kavner, John Turturro, Sam Waterston, Tony Roberts, Carrie Fisher, and J.T. Walsh. Stern's cameo is particularly entertaining.
Some of Allen's scenes are very funny. He began his career as a comic writer, and he has a talent for neurotic monologues. As in many of his films, Allen exposes us to the culture of New York City, even in the architecture of its buildings.
Allen's musical preferences run towards classical, opera, and pre-sixties jazz. These influences fill the soundtrack. Allen's disdain for rock music and 'low' culture (here represented by comments on professional wresting and television evangelists) are again made clear.
Hannah and Her Sisters was the final film for Lloyd Nolan, who died during post-production. This makes his character's indifferent comments about death all the more ironic.
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (Allen). Michael Caine and Dianne Wiest won the Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Actress, respectively. Allen won for his original screenplay. (66/100)
Woody Allen combined the best parts of his earlier films in creating HANNAH AND HER SISTERS his 1986 masterwork about the changing relationships among...More at Family Video
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