| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Woody Allen | ... | ||
| Diane Keaton | ... | ||
| Tony Roberts | ... | ||
| Carol Kane | ... | ||
| Paul Simon | ... | ||
| Shelley Duvall | ... | ||
| Janet Margolin | ... | ||
| Colleen Dewhurst | ... |
Mom Hall
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| Christopher Walken | ... |
Duane Hall
(as Christopher Wlaken)
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Donald Symington | ... |
Dad Hall
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Helen Ludlam | ... |
Grammy Hall
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Mordecai Lawner | ... |
Alvy's Dad
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Joan Neuman | ... |
Alvy's Mom
(as Joan Newman)
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Jonathan Munk | ... | |
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Ruth Volner | ... |
Alvy's Aunt
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Alvy Singer, a forty year old twice divorced, neurotic, intellectual Jewish New York stand-up comic, reflects on the demise of his latest relationship, to Annie Hall, an insecure, flighty, Midwestern WASP aspiring nightclub singer. Unlike his previous relationships, Alvy believed he may have worked out all the issues in his life through fifteen years of therapy to make this relationship with Annie last, among those issues being not wanting to date any woman that would want to date him, and thus subconsciously pushing those women away. Alvy not only reviews the many ups and many downs of their relationship, but also reviews the many facets of his makeup that led to him starting to date Annie. Those facets include growing up next to Coney Island in Brooklyn, being attracted to the opposite sex for as long as he can remember, and enduring years of Jewish guilt with his constantly arguing parents. Written by Huggo
Woody Allen never created a more enjoyable film. Annie Hall is as innovative and clever as any movie has ever been. What makes Annie Hall such a great film is Allen's carefree screenplay and direction, in which he breaks all of the rules, giving the viewer the sense that anything can happen. Allen makes us characters into his story by talking to the camera, telling us jokes, and sharing his opinions with us.
Many of Allen's once original tactics have become commonly used techniques. Woody Allen includes flashbacks, vignettes, voice-over commentary, animation, fantasy, putting himself and others into flashbacks, and subtitles, telling what the characters are thinking. Much of Allen's other works has never been so full of priceless innovations and jokes.
The characters themselves are so well defined that they feel real to the viewer. By the time the film ends, we can see exactly why Alvy Singer and Annie Hall broke up in the first place. That's great filmmaking.