Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Directed by Woody Allen (Annie Hall (1977)) and featuring Michael Caine’s & Dianne Wiest’s first Best Supporting Actor/Actress (Oscar winning) performances this Oscar nominated (for Best Picture) comedy tells so many truths about relationships and life in general that it’s probably his best work and I highly recommend it. Allen’s screenplay also won an Oscar his direction was nominated and the film received two other nominations as well. The cast is great and deep and includes: Barbara Hershey (The Portrait of a Lady (1996)) Carrie Fisher Mia Farrow Maureen O’Sullivan Lloyd Nolan Max von Sydow (Pelle erobreren (1987)) Daniel Stern Julie Kavner (mother Marge on TV’s The Simpsons) Joanna Gleason John Turturro even Tony Roberts & Sam Waterson (The Killing Fields (1984)) uncredited.
Allen plays a hypochondriac TV producer – Kavner’s his assistant & Turturro’s one of his manic writers – that thinks he’s going to die from a brain tumor. He’s also the ex-husband of Farrow who’s now married to Caine who lusts after Farrow’s sister Hershey who lives with eccentric withdrawn from society artist von Sydow who’s upset that newly rich musician Stern wants a painting to match his puce couch. Wiest plays Hannah’s other sister a former drug addict & "out of work" actress who starts a catering business with her friend Fisher who competes with her for the affections of Waterson. O’Sullivan and Nolan play the sisters’ parents: she’s a former star actress he’s her "out of the limelight" husband that strayed though they’re both still happily together. When Allen’s character was married to Farrow’s his low sperm count caused them to ask his business partner Roberts with wife Gleason to donate his so that they could have twins. The film’s three parts are divided by large family gathering Thanksgiving dinner parties at Caine’s & Farrow’s (real life) apartment; smaller sections by silent film-like dialogue pages. Funny and thought provoking yes but so very truthful!
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