(Originally written November 22, 2006)

Hannah and Her Sisters is Woody Allen’s second best film only behind his 1979 opus Manhattan. These are two films that become more beautiful with repeated viewings. The script is well-crafted with Allen able to give some of his most realistic characterizations within his most tightly-knit construction. The jazz perfectly sets the tone for the film, particularly the recurring theme of “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered.” It’s a story about finding beauty and hope in the world without ever becoming too heavy-handed. It’s a quiet film that shows how three sisters can find their lives mixed up in such a complex network of relationships. Michael Caine’s performance as a man longing for the love of his wife’s sister is a believable portrait of a man being pulled between desire and reason. Woody Allen is hysterical in the film, and the film shows the parallels between the lives of both of these men trying to find some type of meaning and, ultimately, realizing that there is something to hope for. The way the different stories are about to shift between each other while still maintaining a sense of cohesion is further proof that Woody Allen can write a brilliant script. The compositions are beautiful, simple in the way characters are framed, but the contrast between light and dark is able to give this film a distinct visual style. The characters are often given able to breathe in the frame, and it makes sense that the cinematographer is the same man responsible for Blow-Up. These are both films that are engaging regardless of the fact that there is not much action taking place. The cinematography brings out the best of the writing and nuanced performances in both of the films, and, more so than impressing the audience with magnificent shots, that is the job of the cinematographer.