| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Woody Allen | ... | Alvy Singer | |
| Diane Keaton | ... | Annie Hall | |
| Tony Roberts | ... | Rob | |
| Carol Kane | ... | Allison | |
| Paul Simon | ... | Tony Lacey | |
| Shelley Duvall | ... | Pam | |
| Janet Margolin | ... | Robin | |
| Colleen Dewhurst | ... | Mom Hall | |
| Christopher Walken | ... | Duane Hall (as Christopher Wlaken) | |
|
|
Donald Symington | ... | Dad Hall |
|
|
Helen Ludlam | ... | Grammy Hall |
|
|
Mordecai Lawner | ... | Alvy's Dad |
|
|
Joan Neuman | ... | Alvy's Mom (as Joan Newman) |
|
|
Jonathan Munk | ... | Alvy - Age 9 |
|
|
Ruth Volner | ... | Alvy's Aunt |
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
I am not a huge fan of Woody Allen and my wife can't hardly stand to watch him. As a result, I have only seen a half-dozen of Woody Allen movies. With the exception of "Manhattan", I have been unimpressed or felt them to be downright horrible.
I have heard so much about "Annie Hall" that I had to take the time to watch it. It was on HBO in Hi-Definition, so why not? Indeed, this is a wonderful movie. While not a big Diane Keaton fan, it was most certainly the best performance of her career that I have seen. I think the casting was exceptional and she handled the material well.
I tend to like to immerse myself in a movie. Woody's use of the aside (talking to the audience), is a little distracting, but the short scene with Marshall McLuhan was a wonderful shot at self-absorbed intellectuals.
The plot idea is very good. I think so many of Woody Allen's characters in so many of his movies have been this same character over and over again. I think this is the definitive Woody Allen character. So much of his recent work as been a pale imitation.
Even if you aren't a Woody fan, I have to recommend this as a creative piece of comedic cinema.