Husbands and Wives (1992)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

18 September 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

When their best friends announce that they're separating, a professor and his wife discover the faults in their marriage.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Directed By Star | New York City | Flashback | Divorce

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Woody Allen	...	Prof. Gabriel 'Gabe' Roth
Mia Farrow	...	Judy Roth
Judy Davis	...	Sally
Sydney Pollack	...	Jack
Juliette Lewis	...	Rain
Liam Neeson	...	Michael Gates
Lysette Anthony	...	Sam - Jack's Girlfriend
Cristi Conaway	...	Shawn Grainger - Call Girl
Timothy Jerome	...	Paul - Sally's Date
Ron Rifkin	...	Richard - Rain's Analyst
Bruce Jay Friedman	...	Peter Styles
Jeffrey Kurland	...	Interviewer-Narrator (voice)
Benno Schmidt	...	Judy's Ex-husband
Nick Metropolis	...	TV Scientist
Rebecca Glenn	...	Gail
Galaxy Craze	...	Harriet
John Doumanian	...	Hamptons' Party Guest
Gordon Rigsby	...	Hamptons' Party Guest
Ilene Blackman	...	Receptionist
Blythe Danner	...	Rain's Mother
Brian McConnachie	...	Rain's Father
Ron August	...	Rain's Ex-lover
John Bucher	...	Rain's Ex-lover
Matthew Flint	...	Carl - Rain's Boyfriend
Jerry Zaks	...	Dinner Party Guest
Caroline Aaron	...	Dinner Party Guest
Jack Richardson	...	Dinner Party Guest
Nora Ephron	...	Dinner Party Guest
Ira Wheeler	...	Dinner Party Guest
Kenneth Edelson	...	Gabe's Novel Montage
Michelle Turley	...	Gabe's Novel Montage
Victor Truro	...	Gabe's Novel Montage
Kenny Vance	...	Gabe's Novel Montage
Lisa Gustin	...	Gabe's Novel Montage
Anthony Nocerino	...	Gabe's Novel Montage
Philip Levy	...	Taxi Dispatcher
Connie Picard	...	Banducci Family
Steven Randazzo	...	Banducci Family (as Steve Randazzo)
Tony Turco	...	Banducci Family
Adelaide Mestre	...	Banducci Family
Jessica Frankston	...	Birthday Party Guest
Merv Bloch	...	Birthday Party Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Boston	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Kent Kasper	...	Uncle Rifkin (uncredited)
Fred Melamed	...	Mel (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Greenhut	....	producer
Joseph Hartwick	....	co-producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	executive producer
Thomas A. Reilly	....	associate producer (as Thomas Reilly)
Helen Robin	....	co-producer
Jack Rollins	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Carlo Di Palma

Film Editing by
Susan E. Morse

Casting by
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Santo Loquasto

Art Direction by
Speed Hopkins

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode

Costume Design by
Jeffrey Kurland

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Joseph Hartwick	....	production manager (as Joseph Hardwick)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David S. Hamby	....	dga trainee (as David Hamby)
Justin Moritt	....	second second assistant director
Richard Patrick	....	second assistant director
Thomas A. Reilly	....	first assistant director (as Thomas Reilly)

Art Department
Joseph Alfieri	....	stand-by carpenter (as Joe Alfieri)
Vincent Guarriello	....	chief construction grip
Glenn Lloyd	....	art department coordinator
James Mazzola	....	property master
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator
Cosmo Sorice	....	stand-by scenic artist
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
Dave Weinman	....	set dresser
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter (uncredited)
Vinny Mazzarella	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gina Alfano	....	assistant sound editor
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Foligno	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Graziadei	....	sound recordist
Robert Hein	....	sound editor (as Bob Hein)
James Sabat	....	production sound mixer
Louis Sabat	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronald Burke	....	best boy grip
Michael Caracciolo	....	assistant camera
Liz Dubelman	....	second assistant camera
John Fortunato	....	camera trainee
Michael Green	....	assistant camera
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer
Jim Manzione	....	best boy electric
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator
Ray Quinlan	....	gaffer
Robert Ward	....	key grip (as Bob Ward)
Chris Hammond	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Laura Rosenthal	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bill Christians	....	wardrobe supervisor: men
Patricia Eiben	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
Lauren Gibson	....	costume assistant
Eric Mendelsohn	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Kent Blocher	....	assistant film editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
William Kruzykowski	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Bernie Leighton	....	musician: piano

Transportation Department
Harold 'Whitey' McEvoy	....	transportation captain
Peter Tavis	....	transportation captain
Patrick Hogan	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Tom Amos	....	production assistant
Tracy Bonbrest	....	production assistant
Tristan Paris Bourne	....	production assistant (as Tristan Bourne)
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Drew Dillard	....	location scout
Antoine Douaihy	....	location scout
Tony Fleming	....	production assistant
David Hummel	....	production assistant (as Dave Hummel)
Sam Hutchins	....	production assistant
Michael Jackman	....	assistant production auditor
Scott Kordish	....	production associate
Leslie Loftis	....	production assistant
Peter Lombardi	....	production auditor
Brian Mannain	....	studio manager
Megan Monaghan	....	location scout
Lois Nalepka	....	assistant production coordinator
Ilyse A. Reutlinger	....	assistant: Mr. Greenhut (as Ilyse Reutlinger)
Dana Robin	....	location manager
Helen Robin	....	production coordinator
Julie Sriro	....	assistant: Mr. Allen
Christina Stauffer	....	production assistant (as Tina Stauffer)
Joseph Trammell	....	video (as Joe Trammell)
Carl Turnquest Jr.	....	projectionist
Gilbert S. Williams	....	production assistant (as Gilbert S. Williams Jr.)
Nicholas Wolfert	....	production assistant
Tom Yeager	....	production assistant
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach (uncredited)
Lucille Smith	....	studio representative (uncredited)
Joseph Zolfo	....	location assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1992) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1992) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Filmayer (Spain)
• Finnkino (1993) (Finland) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1993) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2000) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1997) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Effects House, The  titles
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• Todd Thaler Casting  additional casting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (Mono)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

68th Street Playhouse - 1164 3rd Avenue, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

Woody Allen said in an interview that the reason he shot the film the way he did was that he wanted to break the usual rules of filmmaking. He cut scenes right in the middle of dialog, he used hand held cameras for no particular reason and did not care if he showed the side or the back of a performer's head during a scene. Allen said for this reason, he felt this film was one of his best.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera truck reflection visible on Sally's jeep as she goes to Paul's place.

Quotes:

[first lines]
TV Scientist:[on TV] Einstein was then celebrating, uh, the seventieth birthday anniversary and there was a colloquium given for him. And he said, "God doesn't play dice with the universe".
Gabe:No. He just plays hide-and-seek.

Movie Connections:

References Triumph of the Will (1935)

Soundtrack:

West Coast Blues

One of Woody Allen's best comedy/dramas

A married couple, Sally (Judy Davis) and Jack (Sydney Pollack), tell their best friends--another married couple named Gabe (Woody Allen) and Judy (Mia Farrow)--that they are separating. This news throws Gabe and Judy into a tailspin. It makes them reexamine their own marriage and find it lacking. Meanwhile Sally starts seeing a handsome, romantic man (Liam Neeson) and Jack is living with a girl at least 30 years his junior. This film follows what happens to them over the course of a year.

A fascinating film. I'm not married (or even straight) but I don't think that matters--this is about love, sex and relationships and has dialogue and situations that anyone can relate to. Allen's script is right on target--the insights are just incredible, and we slowly begin to see exactly how all of the four main characters really are. During the film they are all interviewed by a never seen person--these interviews really help the story and reveals how everybody feels about the others. It pulls everything together.

The acting is almost all great. Allen and Farrow were living together when this was filmed--when it was released they were in a bitter custody battle. This movie actually provides insight to WHY they broke up--their argument scenes are just a bit too realistic. Davis and Pollack are just superb in their roles. They let you feel their characters pain and confusion--just great acting. Neeseon isn't asked to do much but he is very affecting in his scenes. However Juliette Lewis is terrible as a college student. Her voice is nasal and whiny and her acting is pretty lousy--but it doesn't ruin the film.

I saw this back in 1992 in a theatre and loved it. Twelve years later I STILL love it. A great film. I'm only giving this an 8 though. There are two big faults with this film: the hand-held jittery camera work being the main one. My guess is Allen filmed it this way to make the film more immediate and give it a documentary feel. It works but it IS distracting. Also it gets a little repetitious towards the end. Still this is well worth seeing. Recommended.