Annie Hall

viewed March 24, 2000 on laserdisc

For full information about this film, click here

Seeing this movie again after several years, and having gained considerable wisdom in the ways of love, I have come to regard Woody Allen (or at least his persona in this, arguably his most autobiographical work) as a real loser.  I have loved him in the past because his neuroses were always buffeted by extraordinary comic wit that seemed triumphant ­ but this movie shows how his one-liners are really barbed defensive mechanisms against a world that overwhelms his senses.  As Alvy Singer, Allen is isolationist, condescending and possessive; there’s not much charm to this toad ­ he’s ugly to the bone.  It is not always easy to distinguish the character from the actor, but at least the filmmaker is able to salvage his appreciation for the beautiful things in life: largely in the form of Diane Keaton’s eponymous character and the extraordinary process of self-discovery that takes place inside her.  It is one of the loveliest performances by a Hollywood actress: funny, self-effacing, full of life and a desire to grow and explore.  She is the quintessential liberated American woman, and though her journey through self-discovery is not without its missteps, it certainly is less painful than Allen’s foibles with sexual liberation.  This remains among my favorite films, but less for Allen’s humor (which becomes more depressing with each viewing) than for Keaton’s spirit, which goes so far as to redeem Allen from terminal morbidity.

Home