Tonight, PBS is broadcasting Part One of a two-part documentary on Woody Allen (check your local listings for time and day). The Friday review by Mike Hale in the New York Times complained that Part One focuses Woody Allen’s first 10 films, leaving Part Two (Monday night) to cover the rest: 31 films. Clearly, director Robert Weide feels that the early Allen is superior to the later Allen. Hale also lists his favorite Woody Allen films: “Take the Money and Run,” “Bananas,” “Sleeper,” “Annie Hall,” “Purple Rose of Cairo,” “Bullets Over Broadway,” “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Midnight in Paris.” I’d say Hale’s list is pretty close to my own.
I haven’t seen Vicky Cristina Barcelona yet but otherwise it’s a good list, though he missed HANNAH & HER SISTERS. And Jackie likes RADIO DAYS.
HANNA & HER SISTERS and RADIO DAYS would be on my list, too, Jeff.
IMHO, “Annie Hall” was his apex; I disliked “Manhattan” intensely (possibly because of the older-man-much-younger-woman plot-line which seemed so hackneyed) and with some rare exceptions (“Hannah,” “Purple Rose”), I haven’t seen many of his recent movies. I know he got some good reviews for “Match Point,” which I thought was incredibly sloppy (please, read a British police procedural if you’re going to make that an element of your movie) and implied that we should root for the murderer (it can be done, but not the way Woody made the movie). Yes, I’m one of those grouchy people who think “Bananas” and “Sleeper” and “Love and Death” are superior to almost anything he made after “Annie Hall.”
Woody seems to have found some of his old mojo in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, Deb. They’re worth checking out. But, you’re right: ANNIE HALL may have been Woody’s peak of his movie career.
It’s certainly always been my favorite.
I love the part in the movie line when Marshall McLuhan shows up to express his opinion, Jeff.
While Play it Again, Sam isn’t one of his top movies it is one I always enjoy watching. And I would certainly rate it higher than Bullets Over Broadway.
I’m looking forward to Netflix getting Midnight in Paris, which is the only one I have not seen yet. I do agree that I think his early funny movies are his best, and I agree with most of those on this list. And I too love the Marshall McLuhan bit.
It’s been years since I’ve seen PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM, Stan. I’ll have to check to see if it’s out in Blu-ray. I also loved Woody’s First Kiss strategy in ANNIE HALL. I actually used it…and it worked!
I like Annie the best with Hannah, a close second–mainly because of Michael Caine.
I liked the one about Wimbledon-can’t think of the name right now and Midnight but the rest since 2000 have been painful mostly.
The tennis movie was MATCH POINT, Patti. You’re right about the movies from 2000 on until VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA and MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.
I liked BANANAS. SLEEPERS was just okay. The rest you can have, I’ll watch something else or read a book. Allen was an actor / writer / producer I just never could connect with.
You’re right, Rick. Woody Allen’s movies aren’t for everyone.
My top 10 would include BROADWAY DANNY ROSE, but somewhere towards the bottom of the list. In a community theater production of FORTY CARATS I played a man of 45 who falls in love with a girl of 17. It seemed okay at the time and in the context of the play.
I need to watch BROADWAY DANNY ROSE again, Bob. I saw it when it was first released, but that was back in 1984.
PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM wasn’t much of an Allen movie, except for his starring role, in the same way THE FRONT wasn’t and CASINO ROYALE certainly wasn’t. I think my favorite remains WHAT’S UP, TIGER LILY?, though the misogyny is already in evidence. Then, perhaps, A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT’S SEX COMEDY, ditto.
I’m hoping WHAT’S UP, TIGER LILY? and A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT’S SEX COMEDY show up on Blu-ray, Todd. I haven’t seen either one in decades.