Review of September (1987) by Ken S — 14 Aug 2013

"September" is one of Woody Allen's darkest movies - dark in tone and dark in subject matter. Each character desperately wants love, but all (for the most part) come up short. Even though they all convene in the same country cottage over the course of a weekend, they are all very much alone. In good company, they seem to be even more alone.

Most of the scenes are dimly lit, but there seems to be a slight orange glow (or hue) in each room. It's almost a feeling of warmth. Love is, no doubt, in the air this particular weekend, but sadly it's a love that goes unanswered. Each character loves the "wrong" person. And because they have developed such deep feelings for someone else, they have become blinded by the fact that the other person doesn't feel the same towards them. So when Mia Farrow's Lane tells Sam Waterston's Peter how much she loves him, she's inevitably crushed when he tells her that he doesn't love her back (in fact, he loves Lane's best friend, Stephanie, played by Diane Wiest). It's clear to us that Peter doesn't love Lane, but Lane is blinded by her feelings of love toward Peter - and she's left feeling even more alone. In fact, that blindness prevents Lane from accepting the love from her neighbor, Howard (Denholm Elliot). Add to that her over-bearing mother (played by the wonderful Elaine Stritch), once adored by all of Hollywood, who suffocates Lane and pushes her further away than she realizes. This all builds up inside of Lane throughout the movie, and everything comes rushing out of her in a very dramatic moment (including the revelation of a long-time family kept secret).

Woody Allen shot "September" twice, with two different casts. (It's been long-rumored that he desperately wanted to do a third reshoot as well.) The "September" we get to see is not perfect, but it's definitely engaging. I can't help but wonder if it would have benefited more had it been a stage production instead of a movie. I love the long takes Woody utilizes (which he so often does in all his movies) - the flow of the movie never feels interrupted. Sometimes it does feels like you're watching a play. It's the performances that suck you in and make you forget that there hasn't been a cut in nearly ten minutes. Mia Farrow does get a bit whiny in scenes, but her greatest moment comes after Lane has been rejected by Peter (and after she discovers Peter and Stephanie embracing each other in the pantry) - she's alone in her room and is discovered sitting in her windowsill and all of her life-failures come flooding out. At this moment, she is the most vulnerable she's ever been. And, perhaps, the most alone she's ever felt.

"September" is often compared to "Interiors" - because both deal with damaged characters and broken families/relationships. Though I think "Interiors" is the better movie.