"With all my education, with all my success, I can't fathom my own heart."
That pretty much sums up the movie!High Art. I've written a few reviews of Woody's work thus far and have already proclaimed "Husbands and Wives" to be his masterpiece, but it's difficult to place this movie very far behind it. The acting is superb with Michael Caine being the outstanding member of the cast. Dianne Wiest won an Oscar for her role as Holly and it was well-deserved. There's practically no one or anything that is not exceptional in this production. Allen's atheism, or at least agnosticism, is on full display as his character attempts to make sense of our fleeting terrestrial existence by embracing whatever religion will have him (he even makes a feign towards Krishna) but ultimately he decides, that while no religion is worth his time, life on this earth is absolutely worth living. The Deus Ex Machina, as it were, is his trip to a NYC theatre where he sees a Marx Brothers movie. How can he leave a world that features Groucho? He decides that he cannot. Even though I do not personally agree with his dismissal of religion, I value his affirmation of life in general. As always with Allen, romance figures heavily and indefatigably in the plot. I won't reveal any twists of the story as it may be that the reader has not yet seen it. One of them, in particular, will surprise you. With Allen, his best films always feature comic overtones and this one is no exception. Top to bottom, "Hannah and his Sisters" is superb. Lastly, allow me to recommend to you additionally the soundtrack because it features not only brilliant jazz but Mozart as well. Every nuance of this film, even down to the background music, is well-crafted.
One of WA's best films ever!
Also recommended: "Take the Money and Run"His Last Great Movie Since Hannah & Her Sisters, only Crimes & Misdemeanors comes anywhere as close to greatness. Alas, Hannah was made 20 years ago. How the mighty have fallen. The movie itself features the usual Allen elements. Hysterical neurotic women, men aging ungracefully by moping abt death and/or cheating, themes of death, dying, suffering, sex, God, life's little irritations and life's little absurd miracles. He's even done the Chekovian 3 Sisters thing before in Interiors. Hannah is like a drama with Allen's comedic interludes to lighten the mood. Almost like commercials. The script is outstanding and nearly the whole cast gives 110% performances. A fully mature work comparable to Annie Hall and Manhattan.
