150W: Hannah and Her Sisters

Short reviews for clear and concise verdicts on a broad range of films...

Hannah and Her Sisters (Dir. Woody Allen/1986)

Breaking the mirror into three pieces, Woody Allen uses himself, Michael Caine and Max Von Sydow to depict the regretful, lustful and intellectual sides to his personality respectively. The sisters that bind these men together are central to the story as we find how Hannah (Mia Farrow) and her sisters (Barbara Hershey and Dianne Wiest). Elliot (Caine) is married to Hannah and falls for her sister Lee (Hershey); Lee is romantically involved with Frederick; Holly (Wiest) is the final sister who’s restless as her partner-to-be (and Hannah’s ex-husband), hypochondriac Mickey (Allen), is undergoing a crisis of faith. Such personal themes regarding faith and love are tackled sensitively and balanced well with measured comedy that shows maturity and intellect. Allen is confident in his direction, framing moments from obscure angles and capturing the drama within the context of three Thanksgivings. Well-written women and weighty ideas prove how impressive Allen truly is.

Rating: 8/10

A-Z #87: Hannah and Her Sisters

You can pick up hundreds of DVDs for a round-pound each - it doesn't matter. It's never about quantity, it's about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and understanding why I own the films ... or you can tell me why I should sell 'em

#87 - Hannah and Her Sisters

Why did I buy it?

My ongoing interest in Woody Allen. A big task, but it must be completed - by the time I am 30, I would like to think that I have watched all of Woody Allens back-catalogue. This was a must-see due to the success it garnered at the time - and additionally, the fact that Michael Caine won his Best Actor gong for his role.

Why do I still own it?

Because of the huge number of Woody Allen's films, when I buy his films, they regularly becoms sold. I watch, I consider keeping, I keep/sell. Hannah and Her Sisters is one of the  good ones - a great combo of comedy, philosopy and relationships. I won't bore you too much, as Hatter and I covered it already on THE FILM LOCKER in much more detail. But it may interest you which other Woody Allen films which have hit the dust - they include Husbands and Wives (but, I do intend to watch it again at some point to re-evaluate as it stuck with me more than I initially expected), Mighty Aphrodite and Melinda and Melinda.