Review of Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) by Matthew B — 29 Aug 2010
The brassy strains of "You Made Me Love You" open this delightful masterpiece, perhaps Woody Allen's most perfect film. Love and Death may be more ridiculously humorous, Crimes and Misdemeanors may offer a more philosophically acute narrative, and Stardust Memories may be a more commendable piece of visual filmmaking, but Hannah and Her Sisters is, by far, his sweetest and most genuine achievement.
Mia Farrow (in one of her most successful outings with Allen), Dianne Wiest (indeed Oscar-worthy as the searching Holly who shines brilliantly in her spats with Allen's Mickey Sachs), Barbara Hershey, Michael Caine (magnificent as the erotically confused Elliot), Max von Sydow (also wondrous in very limited screen time), Maureen O'Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Daniel Stern, and Carrie Fisher round out a stellar cast; Sam Waterston, the eminent Bobby Short, and Tony Roberts make memorable guest appearances.
The architectural tour of New York City, Mickey's Tolstoyan angst over his CAT-scan, the impeccable use of the Bach harpsichord concerto and Rodgers' "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," the succulent passage by e.
E. cummings, and the glorious apotheosis of the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup - in fact, all of the film's chapters - are like a box of treats.
This review of Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) was written by Matthew B on 29 Aug 2010.
Hannah and Her Sisters has generally received very positive reviews.
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