Hannah and her Sisters (Woody Allen) 1986

I will apologize for the shortness of this review as I got busy after watching it and the review was delayed.  It is probably more of a shame with this one because Hannah and her Sisters is one of my favorite Allen movies.  This may be the culmination of many things Allen had been trying to perfect up to this point.

I remember Woody Allen being confused as to why so many people thought of Manhattan as a comedy.  Sure, there were comedy elements in it, but it was more of a romance than a comedy.  That may be part of his overall disappointment for the movie.  In Hannah, it is clearer that this movie is a drama first, and it has some comedy elements thrown in.  Since I am apparently in the mood of comparing movies, this feels like Allen trying to make a better version of Interiors.  Both are dramas about a group of sisters with varying ambitions and problems trying to find some happiness or meaning.  But while Interiors may have had Allen scared of doing any humor by fear of falling back on his comedy, here this feels like he has grown comfortable with all elements of his game.

Nothing feels too morose and  the comic relief is just that.  Interiors may have gotten bogged down by the non-stop drama, there is much needed relief in Hannah.  Elliot (Michael Caine) may be cheating on his wife, but there are moments of levity when he is trying to orchestrate a chance meeting between him and Lee (Barbara Hershey).  Holly (Dianne Wiest) is insecure and nervous, but it is funny when she is competing with her sister for a date with David (Sam Waterston).  Woody Allen is in a supporting role in this movie, and even though he is hitting some common Allen themes (life/death/mortality/god) his role is primarily comic relief.

The drama is front and center though, and it is very good.  This is helped by having some of the best acting in any Woody Allen film.  It speaks to the strength of the cast when Barbara Hershey and Mia Farrow aren’t the best female performers in the film.  Michael Caine brilliantly plays opposite his usual cool persona and earned himself an Oscar nomination.  Max von Sydow is also in this movie and given any more time might have stolen the movie.  They sell all the dramatic elements of this movie whether it be about a cheating husband, competing sisters, looking for love, or the drama floating around that certain member of your family that can seemingly do no wrong.

As I said before, this feels like Allen at his most confident and natrual.  He doesn’t feel like he needs to emulate Bergman or Fellini or anyone else.  He doesn’t feel like he has to do all wacky comedy or completely serious drama.  This is Allen drama, comedy, writing, cinematography, and acting.  It is a must for any Woody Allen fan.