The twice-divorced Alvy knows that it’s not easy to find a mate when the options include pretentious New York intellectuals and lifestyle-obsessed Rolling Stone writers, but la-di-dah-ing Annie seems different. Along the rocky road of their coupling, Allen/Alvy weigh in on such topics as endless therapy, movies vs. TV, the absurdity of dating rituals, anti-Semitism, drugs, and, in one of the best set pieces, repressed Midwestern WASP insanity vs. crazy Brooklyn Jewish boisterousness. Annie wants to move to Los Angeles to find that fame that finally does in the relationship — but not before Alvy gets in a few digs at vacuous, mantra-fixated California. –BFI
Actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright Woody Allen redefined film comedy during the 1970s, bringing a new measure of sophistication and personal complexity to the form. Born Allen Stewart Konigsberg in Brooklyn, NY, on December 1, 1935, he adopted his stage name at the age of 17, and in 1953 enrolled in NYU’s film program, and soon dropping out of school to begin writing for comedian David Alber. Two years later, Allen graduated to writing for television; during his five-year in television, his efforts won him an Emmy nomination. He eventually decided to try his hand as a stand-up performer. After slowly gaining a reputation on the New York-club circuit, he became a frequent talk show guest and in 1964 issued his self-titled debut comedy LP. With 1966’s What’s Up, Tiger Lily?, a puckish re-tooling of a Japanese spy thriller complete with his own story line and dubbed English dialogue, he made his directorial debut. In 1969 Allen directed two short films for a CBS television special… read more
Fantastic script, I laughed A LOT in this film, just a really enjoyable and lovely film.
Although both characters are quite annoying, I like how he shows the complexities of human relationships.
Diane Keaton's character is so cute (la dee dah!), and the last line is painfully true sometimes.
PBS broadcasts its 3½-hour doc tonight and tomorrow; Keaton’s memoir is on shelves now.
Back in September, Marc Maron was interviewing Judd Apatow for his WTF podcast and, about three quarters of the way through the two-hour
Pierre Étaix is back! The writer-director-star, a disciple of Tati but very much his own clown, has been released from a kind of purgatory.
As part of its ongoing Film Season, the Guardian's been rolling out top 25s for various genres and today's list is comedy. In
HEIRONYMOUS MERKIN Can Heironymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969) Is the film that dares to ask the question
Woody Allen’s Annie Hall is I think is best and his sweet/romantic movie that rivals his other works such as Manhattan and * Purple Rose of Cairo*. It is also the… read review
I will Confess. I always enjoy most Woody Allen Films. I easily identify with him or at least the characters he plays and often the characters in his films in one way or another. As well as his films… read review
Annie Hall was the turning point in Woody Allen’s career and it remains its pinnacle. It’s his greatest, purest, and most personal foray. It elevated him from an undefined Chaplin heir to a unique… read review