at BFI Southbank
BFI Southbank launches the New Year with an offering of thrills and laughter from Woody
Allen, a most prolific filmmaker whose career has spanned just over six decades and more
than 40 feature films, with a new film made almost every year. A celebration of his classic
comedies will screen throughout January, including Extended Runs of both Zelig (1983) and
the multi-Oscar-winning Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). This retrospective of films presents
a timely reminder of his brilliant and exceptional career as a writer-director of comedy
films, plus the importance of the comedy genre, as BFI Southbank presents the first London
Comedy Film Festival at the end of the month.
Allen’s career began by writing jokes for a local newspaper before progressing to stand-up
comedy, then to writing gags and scripts for television and eventually screenwriting and
appearing in films, until it was clear, to him, that he needed to direct films himself. This BFI
season starts with Bananas (1971) and the sci-fi Sleeper (1973), where Allen’s trademark
characteristics of a nervous, somewhat pessimistic New York Jew, with a sharp and selfdeprecating banter were first established. Sleeper was the first partnering of Allen and
Diane Keaton, who would go on to star in the period piece Love and Death (1975) and the
Allen classics Annie Hall (1977), for which he won Academy Awards for Best Director and
Best Original Screenplay, and Manhattan (1979) – the latter an unforgettable tribute to New
York.
Love, and the fathoming of, is a key theme that spans his films, and Allen’s personal
relationships would both inform and inspire his work. By the early 1980s he had met Mia
Farrow and a new on-screen partnership was launched with A Midsummer Nights Sex
Comedy (1982), Broadway Danny Rose (1984) and the Depression-era cinema fantasy The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), before Hannah and Her Sisters, which earned him another Oscar
for Best Original Screenplay along with a nomination for Best Film.
With the onset of 1990s, and his ‘middle-period’, Allen performed less in front of the
camera, as with titles such as Bullets Over Broadway (1994), where John Cusack takes the
lead, and Celebrity (1998), starring Kenneth Brannagh and Leonardo DiCaprio. More recent
titles have received mixed reviews, but Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) brought a return to
form and his most recent offering, Midnight in Paris (2011), his been biggest box office
success yet. The selection of films offered this month is a great reminder of the amazing
ability that Allen has to find humour in some of the most unusual of circumstances. His
next feature is in post-production and provides proof that he still has much to amuse
audiences with.
PROGRAMME INFORMATION:
Bananas
USA 1971. With Louise Lasser, Carlos Montalban, Jacobo Morales. 78min. 15
A wonderfully funny ragbag of gloriously absurd gags chronicling a puny, largely petrified New York
Jew’s chaotic involvement with Latin American revolutionaries hoping to topple a dictator. The reason
for Woody’s impulsive altruism? To impress political activist Louise Lasser (Allen’s second wife), of
course. Though the direction is solid rather than flamboyant, the film’s energy and invention more
than compensate. Look out for Sylvester Stallone.
Sun 1 Jan 16:00 NFT3, Sun 8 Jan 20:40 NFT2
Sleeper
USA 1973. With Diane Keaton, John Beck. 87min. PG
In his engagingly irreverent take on the sci-fi genre, Woody’s Greenwich Village jazz clarinetist does a
Rip Van Winkle through cryogenics and wakes up in a largely sex-free 2174, where rebels enlist his
predictably reluctant help in their struggle against the totalitarian authorities. By now Diane Keaton
had taken over as romantic interest, and she was to prove the perfect comic foil to the writer
director’s on-screen persona.
Sun 1 Jan 18:20 NFT3, Sat 7 Jan 20:50 NFT2, Wed 18 Jan 18:30 NFT1
Love and Death
USA 1975. With Diane Keaton, Olga Georges-Picot, Harold Gould. 81min. PG
Arguably the most coherent and consistently funny of all Allen’s unrepentantly comic, pre-Annie Hall
films, this remarkably astute parody of Russian literature in all its lugubriously epic splendour finds
his customarily Jewish little-man courting his beloved Keaton amid the turmoil of the Napoleonic
Wars. Eisensteinian montage and philosophical discussions cover a range of topics: love, death, God,
war, honour, string, herrings, and wheat… so much wheat.
Sun 1 Jan 20:30 NFT3, Sat 7 Jan 16:00 NFT2, Thu 12 Jan 18:30 NFT1
Annie Hall
USA 1977. With Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Paul Simon, Carol Kane. 93min. 15 Greeted as a step forward in that the narrative – no longer a string of gags – gained in psychological
coherence, this was also the first of Allen’s films regarded as rooted to some degree in autobiography
(he plays a neurotic New York comic who falls for a ditzy singer) – though in hindsight the film, for all
its humour and romance, feels a little hesitant in places compared to the bold 80s masterworks.
Besides Keaton’s wonderful performance, look out for future stars in minor roles.
Mon 2 Jan 16:15 NFT1, Fri 6 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Fri 13 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sat 14 Jan 18:30 NFT1
Manhattan
USA 1979. With Diane Keaton, Michael Murphy, Mariel Hemingway, Meryl Streep. 96min. 12A
With this film, Allen first achieved a fully rewarding balance of comedy and drama, enhancing the
tale of a television comedy-writer’s vacillating relationships with the various women in his life by
framing it as a love letter to New York. The unforgettable opening montage, cut to Gershwin, clearly
signposts his ambitions both as a filmmaker and as a devout celebrant of the city.
Mon 2 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Fri 6 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Tue 10 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 22 Jan 20:45 NFT1
A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy
USA 1982. With Mia Farrow, José Ferrer, Julie Hagerty, Tony Roberts, Mary Steenburgen. 88min. 15
The title may allude to Shakespeare and Bergman, but this warm period comedy, charting the
romantically complicated encounter of three couples at a house in the country, seems as indebted to
Renoir as it is to the Swede. The first of his films with Mia Farrow, it feels suffused with the
enchantment of falling in love, and is perhaps his only film to profess some sort of real belief in the
power of magic
Mon 2 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 8 Jan 18:20 NFT2
Broadway Danny Rose
USA 1984. With Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte, Sandy Baron. 84min. PG
This delightfully anecdotal tale of a lowly but conscientious theatrical agent (Allen), who acts as a
beard for an adulterous crooner and finds himself pursued by the mobster family of the brassy
mistress (Farrow at her very best), is distinguished by its warm, affectionate tone. Gordon Willis’s
black-and-white camera work lends the troubled fairytale romance the feel of reality, while the expert
sparring between the two leads is both funny and touching.
Tue 3 Jan 20:40 NFT2, Sat 7 Jan 18:40 NFT3, Mon 9 Jan 18:20 NFT2
The Purple Rose of Cairo
USA 1985. With Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello. 82min. PG
An utterly charming variation on the conceit pioneered by Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr, this finds a
downtrodden Depression-era housewife (Farrow) attracting the attention of the leading man (Daniels)
in the ludicrously exotic romance she keeps watching; the escapism escalates when he abandons the
movie to visit her reality – a bewildering crossover for all concerned. Fantasy it may be, but in its
emotional dynamics the film is authentic enough to be genuinely affecting.
Mon 9 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sat 21 Jan 18:40 NFT2
Crimes and Misdemeanors
USA 1989. With Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Claire Bloom, Sam Waterston. 104min. 15
One of Allen’s darkest comedies, this has two loosely linked stories – one about a documentarist
(Allen) falling for the producer (Farrow) of a TV tribute to his despicably successful brother-in-law, the
other about a married ophthalmologist (Martin Landau) deciding to rid himself of a clinging lover
(Anjelica Huston) – which share a concern with guilt, troubled faith and the injustices of life.
Ambitious, complex and beautifully acted by all involved.
Fri 13 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Sun 15 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 22 Jan 15:50 NFT3
Husbands and Wives
USA 1992. With Mia Farrow, Liam Neeson, Juliette Lewis, Blythe Danner. 108min. 15
An astute examination of the ethics of love and marriage, this sees a seemingly happily married
couple (Allen and Farrow) reassessing their own relationship when their close friends (Judy Davis and
Sydney Pollack) announce an amicable separation. Shot in a hand-held documentary style and boasting terrific performances, this is one of Allen’s most emotionally honest and psychologically
incisive achievements.
Tue 10 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Sat 14 Jan 20:45 NFT1, Sun 22 Jan 18:10 NFT3
Manhattan Murder Mystery
USA 1993. With Diane Keaton, Anjelica Huston, Alan Alda. 107min. PG
In part a tribute to the cowardly bluster that was Bob Hope’s speciality, this is one of the most
unapologetically escapist of Allen’s middle-period comedies, in which Allen’s panicky protagonist
worries about the keen interest taken by his wife (Keaton) both in one of his friends and in the death
of a neighbour. A bright and pacy blend of suspense and gags, executed with considerable gusto.
Thu 12 Jan 20:40 NFT2, Mon 16 Jan 18:20 NFT2, Tue 17 Jan 20:30 NFT2
Bullets Over Broadway
USA 1994. With John Cusack, Dianne Wiest, Jim Broadbent, Rob Reiner, Mary Louise Parker. 99min. PG
John Cusack plays a faintly Allenesque young playwright, dealing not only with temperamental stars
(Wiest in fine fettle) but with a bodyguard (Chazz Palminteri) assigned by his gangster backer to keep
an eye on the flapper girlfriend (Jennifer Tilly) he insists has a role. The jazz-age setting allows Allen
some leeway in terms of authenticity, but that doesn’t mean his reflections on the relationship
between life and the theatre don’t have bite.
Sat 14 Jan 16:15 NFT1, Wed 18 Jan 20:45 NFT2, Sat 21 Jan 20:40 NFT2
Everyone Says I Love You
USA 1996. With Goldie Hawn, Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, Billy Crudup. 100min. 12A
Arguably Allen’s most unlikely film – a musical packed with romantic standards, set in New York,
Venice and Paris, and chronicling the complex romantic lives of a large family from Manhattan – and
perhaps, too, his most improbable cast, ranging from Julia Roberts to Tim Roth, Goldie Hawn to
Edward Norton. But it works: the energy and enthusiasm of the cast easily make up for any
shortcomings in their singing and dancing, and the whole has a delicate charm.
Sun 15 Jan 18:30 NFT1, Fri 20 Jan 18:20 NFT3
Deconstructing Harry
USA 1997. With Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Judy Davis, Kirstie Alley. 96min
Though clearly inspired by Bergman’s Wild Strawberries, this tale of a blocked, philandering, foulmouthed writer (Allen) driving – along with his best friend, his nine-year-old son and a (black!) hooker
– to receive an award at his alma mater is very funny, and one of Allen’s most inventive films as it
compares and contrasts the realities of the author’s life with their fictionalised versions. Of the
remarkable cast, it is Robin Williams who is perhaps most amusing as an actor literally having trouble
with his focus.
Wed 11 Jan 18:15 NFT1, Sat 28 Jan 18:10 NFT3
Celebrity
USA 1998. With Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Joe Mantegna, Melanie Griffith, Winona Ryder. 113min
Scumbag journalist Lee (Branagh sporting Allen-ish traits) and Robin (Davis) have just divorced, but
their paths keep crossing at the endless parties, receptions and previews frequented by New York’s
smart set. A jaundiced, often very amusing caricature of the contemporary obsession with fame,
enhanced by some fine performances: Leonardo DiCaprio’s spoilt movie star and Charlize Theron’s
supermodel are stand-outs.
Wed 25 Jan 20:30 NFT2, Sun 29 Jan 18:20 NFT2
Sweet and Lowdown
USA 1999. With Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman, Anthony LaPaglia, John Waters. 95min. PG
An arrogant, self-centred, hard-living 30s jazz guitarist (Penn) reluctantly gets involved with a gentle,
generous mute (Morton) and can’t be bothered ever to end the affair properly. A strangely tender,
touching tale of pride, prejudice, self-obsession and redemption, the film impresses for its strong
sense of period and place and its excellent performances; Allen himself appears as one of the jazz
fans reflecting on the couple’s story in documentary style ‘interview’ sequences.
Wed 25 Jan 18:20 NFT2, Sun 29 Jan 20:40 NFT2
Melinda and Melinda
USA 2004. With Radha Mitchell, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Wallace Shawn, Josh Brolin. 99min. 12A
Is life essentially tragic or comic? Writers in a restaurant debate this question by developing two
versions – one supposedly serious, the other meant to be funny – of a story about the effects of a
woman (Mitchell) turning up unexpectedly at a dinner party given by friends (Chloe Sevigny and
Jonny Lee Miller in the first, Will Ferrell and Amanda Peet in the second). An ingenious reflection on
life and art, and very relevant to Allen’s own work.
Thu 26 Jan 18:10 NFT2, Mon 30 Jan 20:45 NFT2
Match Point
UK 2005. With Scarlett Johansson, Brian Cox, Penelope Wilton, Ewen Bremner. 124min. 12A
In many respects a London-set reworking of Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, Allen’s first British film
pitches an upwardly mobile tennis player (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) among a wealthy family; after
taking up with the daughter who adores him (Emily Mortimer), he falls for her brother’s actress
fiancée (Johansson)… If the depiction of British society is hardly Loachian in its thrust, that’s not the
point; it is Allen’s interest in ethical dilemmas that lends the film’s dramatic elements some depth.
Thu 26 Jan 20:30 NFT2, Mon 30 Jan 18:20 NFT2
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Spain 2008. With Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson. 96min. 12A
While spending the summer in Barcelona, two friends (Hall and Johansson) meet a painter (Bardem)
and react very differently to his seductive charms; the situation is further complicated by the
reappearance of his estranged and very volatile wife (Cruz). While Allen’s Spanish film certainly deals
in cultural and gender stereotypes, a welcome hint of absurdism – most notable in the delicious
performances of Bardem and Cruz – enhances the sunny mood.
Fri 27 Jan 18:10 NFT2, Tue 31 Jan 20:40 NFT2
Midnight in Paris
France 2011With Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Adrian Brody, Kathy Bates 94min Digital 12A
A blocked Hollywood writer (Wilson), visiting Paris, finds that immersing himself – with a vengeance –
in the city’s literary past revitalises him; trouble is, it also causes problems with his fiancée
(McAdams). The appeal of visiting the golden age is not exclusively due to an attractive woman
(Marion Cotillard), given that the Fitzgeralds, Dali, Buñuel (who gives rise to a wonderful gag) and
Gertrude Stein are also around. But, Allen asks, should we really prefer the past? What about the
present?
Fri 27 Jan 20:50 Studio; Sat 28 Jan 16:20, 20:50 Studio; Sun 29 Jan 16:20, 20:50 Studio; Mon 30 Jan
21:00 NFT1; Tue 31 Jan 18:20 NFT2, 20:50 Studio; (continues in February)
Extended Runs: Fri 30 Dec – Thu 19 Jan
Zelig
USA 1983 Dir Woody Allen. With Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Garrett Brown, Mary Louise Wilson 79min
PG. Courtesy of Park Circus
In part, a comic reworking of the themes of Citizen Kane, Allen’s meticulous mockumentary about a
long-forgotten ‘human chameleon’ may now be celebrated as a masterwork years ahead of its time.
Complete with unseen narrator, archive footage and on-screen comments from Susan Sontag, Saul
Bellow et al, the film deals with the life and times of Leonard Zelig (Allen), an otherwise unremarkable
man who, in the 1920s, became a figure of fame and controversy due to his tendency to take on the
characteristics and appearance of whoever he was with at the time. Allen turns this simple but
ingenious idea into a multilayered – and very funny – meditation on issues of (individual, national and
ethnic) identity, celebrity culture and our need to connect. Expertly manipulating newsreel footage
(long before digital technology) so that Zelig is seen hobnobbing with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, the Pope
and even – irony of ironies! – Hitler), Allen paints a richly resonant portrait of a changing world, while
finding space for a touching tribute to Mia Farrow (playing Zelig’s loyal analyst). Endlessly rewarding.
(Thu 12 Jan 18:40 NFT3 introduced by Geoff Andrew)
Hannah and Her Sisters
USA 1986. Dir Woody Allen. With Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Carrie
Fisher, Max Von Sydow, Maureen O’Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan. 107min 15 Courtesy of Park Circus
Perhaps the warmest and, dramatically, most refined of all Allen’s ensemble dramas, this look at a
year in the life of an extended well-to-do Manhattan family sees him at the peak of his powers – as
writer, director and performer. Next to sisters Lee (Hershey), who lives with a misanthropic painter,
and Holly (Wiest), a neurotic lost in vague dreams of career success, Hannah (Farrow) seems a model
of strength and stability; she’s even remained on good terms with her hypochondriac ex (Allen). What
nobody, Hannah included, knows is that her current husband (Caine) has fallen for Lee…
As Allen traces the many delicate threads of his densely textured narrative, it’s soon clear both that
we’re in Chekhov territory – the transience of life, the irresistibility of desire, the need to keep things
in perspective – and that the perspective here is distinctly and gloriously Allen’s. The performances of
the remarkable cast are uniformly superb, Carlo di Ponti’s images render Manhattan magical, and the
whole is immensely satisfying.
Booking information
The BFI Southbank is open to all. BFI members are entitled to a discount on all tickets. BFI Southbank
Box Office tel: 020 7928 3232. Unless otherwise stated tickets are £9.00, concs £6.65 Members pay £1.40
less on any ticket. Website www.bfi.org.uk/southbank
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