I’ve been a Woody Allen fan since I first saw Bananas in 1971. It was silly and funny. I liked other Woody Allen films from that era: Sleeper and Play It Again, Sam. Later, Woody Allen would move from comedy to drama with Annie Hall, Manhattan, and Hannah and Her Sisters. In Apropos of Nothing Allen talks about the movies he’s made, both the “successful” ones and the clunkers like September and Shadows and Fog. He praises most of the actors he’s worked with and complains about a few who disappointed him.
The Big Disappointment is Mia Farrow. Woody Allen “dated” her for 13 years and somehow during all that time didn’t see that she was manipulating him and abusing her seven children. At least, that’s Allen’s side of the story. Allen also drops the hammer on Ronan Farrow. I found this part of the book difficult to read and comprehend. But, on the other hand, Allen admits throughout Apropos of Nothing that he’s had relationships with dozens of women with serious mental problems. Allen’s second wife, Louise Lasser, apparently suffered from a myriad of psychological disorders. I’m amazed Woody Allen could make movies while all this drama was happening in his Life.
Whether you believe Woody Allen’s version of his problems with Mia Farrow or not, Apropos of Nothing does give the reader insights into a complicated, gifted, filmmaker. Are you a Woody Allen fan? GRADE: B+
I wonder how many of your posters will get the story of Soon-Yi wrong!
Bob, good point.
Unlike everyone else in the Free World, I’m not close enough to the family to render judgement on all the dynamics and how they work out. So I watch the films, enjoy the good ones and lose interest in the snoozers.
Dan, there’s lots of drama between Allen and Farrow. Mia Farrow starred in 13 Woody Allen films.
I loved everything he made from “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” to “Anne Hall.” I can still watch them over and over again. Then we drifted apart. During the 1980s & 1990s, I enjoyed a handful of his movies, but I haven’t seen a new one in years and have no interest in doing so.
Deb, Woody Allen writes about his attempts to make “serious” movies, but like you I’m more entertained by his early comic movies. ANNIE HALL was great. And I’m fond of PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM.
Mostly, I’m a big fan. The last Allen film I saw, “Wonder Wheel” (2017) wasn’t very good, but you don’t have to go back very far to find “Blue Jasmine”, which was quite good. I’m just not sure about the accusations, and in a court of law that would equal reasonable doubt.
Michael, Woody Allen maintains his innocence but his new movies aren’t being shown in the United States any more. I agree with you on BLUE JASMINE. Wonderful movie! I’m also fond of Vicky Cristina Barcelona from 2008.
I went a little past what Deb said (PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, RADIO DAYS), but otherwise agree. And before that we’d see DON’T DRINK THE WATER and PLAY IT AGAIN SAM on Broadway. (And we once saw Woody walking through the lobby of a hotel in the late 60s, where we were the only ones to recognize him.) Yes, his love life is messy but I don’t believe anything Mia Farrow has said. She’s a nut.
Jeff, most people who read APROPOS OF NOTHING will come away considering Mia Farrow as “disturbed” and not to be believed. But disturbed women attracted Woody Allen. Louise Lasser–while not in Mia Farrow’s league–had plenty of mental problems.
I think it’s telling that either he is attracted to “mentally-unbalanced” women or “mentally-unbalanced” women are attracted to him and he apparently does nothing to discourage their interest. I should put that sentence in the past tense because he’s been married to Soon Yi for many years now.
Deb, I agree with you. Woody has a long track record with disturbed women…and they seem to gravitate to him. He seems to have settled down with Soon Yi. Of course, Woody Allen is 84 years old so maybe that has something to do with it.
It’s a classic he-said, she-said and I’m not sure where the truth lies. A general rule of thumb, though, is to give the benefit of the doubt to the woman. Allen is no Jeffrey Epstein or Roman Polanski but, given his past experiences, he may be close. Either way, I have happily avoided his films for decades and am none the worse for it.
One thing I have wondered for years: How has he been able to get the financing for all his movies? Who would invest in him?
Jerry, Woody Allen writes about the investors who funded his movies. Most of Allen’s movies made money. Not STAR WARS or THE AVENGERS type money, but positive cash flow nonetheless. Many of the investors were wealthy friends. And the studios provided funding, too. Recently, Allen received a settlement with AMAZON Studios because they canceled a four-movie deal.
I have to wonder how one gets Soon-Yi “right” from the perspective of his defenders.
I tend to agree with Jerry’s statement above. I don’t think WA is a particularly stable nor savory a character. His persona of the creep whom women who can’t see his sterling qualities along with that creepiness are idiots in most of his movies seems very much a reflection of his public persona, at very least. As the phrase goes, when people tell you who they are, you might as well believe them.
Todd, I agree with you and Jerry. Woody Allen is an Open Book in APROPOS OF NOTHING.
Haven’t cared much for his recent films. I tend to side with Allen over Farrow. She strikes me as being a bit unbalanced. There was a documentary about Allen maybe 10 or 12 years ago and it seemed to show his wife as the dominant one in their relationship.
Jeff-I think he gets financing because his films do better overseas and don’t cost very much.
Steve, you’re exactly right. Woody Allen films are popular overseas. He also–until recently–attracted Big Name actors/actresses who performed in his movies for reduced rates.
I loved his movies for a long time. Not sure when I dropped out but the more recent ones show he has lost touch with the way people live, what is funny, how much tolerance people have for a rich older guy hitting on too young women. He needs to retire. His latest film went right to streaming.
Patti, you’re right about Woody Allen’s later movies being out of touch with the audiences. I’m sure retirement beckons.
No.
Rick, I learn a lot by reading autobiographies of contemporary artists.
Haven’t seen much in the way of his recent movies, but the bits I’ve seen show that he’s still writing for them as if he’s writing for himself, and the lead actors are speaking in his cadence, which I find distracting.
Jeff, I agree with you. The dialogue in almost all of Woody Allen’s movies sounds very Woodish.