Review of Radio Days (1987) by Joel R — 05 Jan 2011

Woody Allen's sentimental reminiscence about the golden age of radio. A series of vignettes involving radio personalities is intertwined with the life of a working class family in Rockaway Beach, NY circa 1942. The cast includes Woody Alle regulars such as Tony Roberts, Diane Wiest, Mia Farrow, Diane Keaton (this is the only Woody Allen film in which both of his frequent collaborators and longtime companions Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton appear), as well as Julie Kavner, Wallace Shawn, Jeff Daniels, William H Macy, Todd Field, Tito Puente, Dany Aiello, Mercedes Ruehl, and a very young Seth Green. It also features the voice of Seinfeld collaborator Larry David.

Sally: Who is Pearl Harbor?

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Narrator: For some miraculous reason, it's a wonderful feeling having a teacher you've seen dance naked in front of a mirror.

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Diction Student: Hark! I hear the cannons roar! Is it the King approaching?

Diction Student: Hark! I hear the cannons roar! Is it the King approaching?

Sally: [in a very thick New York accent] Hahk! I hear the cannon's raw! Is it the King approaching?

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Narrator: Then there were my father and mother, two people who could find an argument in any subject.

Father: Wait, you think the Atlantic is a greater ocean than the Pacific?

Mother: No. Have it your way. The Pacific is greater.

Narrator: I mean, how many people argue over oceans?

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Narrator: Ceil adored a very prominent ventriloquist, and this always used to drive Abe crazy:

Abe: He's a ventriloquist on the radio - how do you know he's not moving his lips?

Ceil: Who cares? Leave me alone!

[bursts with laughter].

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Joe: [as he realizes the substitute teacher is the woman he and his friends saw dancing naked in the window] Oh God, we're all going straight to hell!

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Mother: [as she watches anti-aircraft searchlights with husband during a World War II black-out] It's so beautiful. Boy, what a world... it could be so wonderful, if it wasn't for certain people.

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Rabbi Baumel: Radio... It's all right once in a while. Otherwise it tends to induce bad values, false dreams, lazy habits. Listening to these stories of foolishness and violence... this is no way for a boy to grow up.

Joe: You speak the truth, my faithful Indian companion.

Rabbi Baumel: To a rabbi you say "my faithful Indian companion"?

[hits him in a head].

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Arnold: [presenting a condom to a class] I found this on my parents' night table.

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[Last lines].

Narrator: I never forgot that New Year's Eve when Aunt Bea awakened me to watch 1944 come in. I've never forgotten any of those people or any of the voices we would hear on the radio. Though the truth is, with the passing of each New Year's Eve, those voices do seem to grow dimmer and dimmer.