Interiors (1978)

Three sisters find their lives spinning out of control in the wake of their parents' sudden, unexpected divorce.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, Kristin Griffith

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Kristin Griffith	...	Flyn
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Joey
Richard Jordan	...	Frederick
Diane Keaton	...	Renata
E.G. Marshall	...	Arthur
Geraldine Page	...	Eve
Maureen Stapleton	...	Pearl
Sam Waterston	...	Mike
Missy Hope	...	Young Joey
Kerry Duffy	...	Young Renata
Nancy Collins	...	Young Flyn
Penny Gaston	...	Young Eve
Roger Morden	...	Young Arthur
Henderson Forsythe	...	Judge Bartel

Storyline

The story of a very dysfunctional family and what happens when the parents divorce. Eve (Geraldine Page) and Arthur (EG Marshall) are a 60-something couple, recently separated. They have three adult daughters - Renata (Diane Keaton), Joey (Mary Beth Hurt) and Flyn (Kristin Griffith). Renata is a poet and is married to Frederick (Richard Jordan). Joey is (reluctantly) in advertising and is married to Mike (Sam Waterston). Joey is a film and TV actress. Eve is an incredibly negative woman and this has had a toxic effect on her children. This results in stifling, unsupportive relationships and joyless lives.

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Plot Keywords:

no music | attempted rape | sister sister relationship | mother daughter relationship | woman wearing glasses | 

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Taglines:

The One Movie You Should Not Miss This Year

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 August 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Anhedonia

Filming Locations:

Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$10,432,466, 31 December 1978

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions,Rollins-Joffe Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final film as a Costume Designer for Joel Schumacher.

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Goofs

(at around 8 mins) When Eve and Joey are drinking coffee after moving the lamp, the mugs bounce on their legs, no steam rises from the mugs and no liquid is visible, the mugs also move very freely when being lifted for a "drink". All of these things point to empty mugs.

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Quotes

Joey: What happens to those of us who can't create?

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Crazy Credits

Casting director Juliet Taylor's name is spelled Juilet Taylor in the credits.

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Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: Death on the Nile/Somebody Killed Her Husband/Interiors/The Boys From Brazil/A Wedding/Piranha/Up in Smoke (1978)

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Soundtracks

Wolverine Blues
(1923)
Written by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (uncredited)
Performed by The World's Greatest Jazz Band
On Project III Records

User Reviews

Woody Allen's best drama

Allen's first really serious film plays like an Bergman film. It's a dead serious study of a very dysfunctional family.

The father (E.G. Marshall) wants a trial separation from his wife (Geraldine Page). This totally destroys her life but her grown children try to help. One daughter (Diane Keaton) keeps giving her false hope that her husband will return. Meanwhile she has issues with her husband (Richard Jordan)--he finds her very condescending about his writing and she reacts with anger. Another daughter (Mary Beth Hurt) tries to get her mother to face reality. She has no direction in life herself and her husband (Sam Waterston) wants a child. A third daughter (Kristin Griffith) barely figures in this.

Somber, bleak, quiet and stark. Full of angry, unsatisfied people--the only humor is provided by Maureen Stapleton who shows up late in the movie. This film contains many emotionally vicious moments. It's unpleasant sometimes but you can't stop watching. The dialogue is great--full of fascinating insights into what the characters are feeling. Occasionally the actors sound like they're giving speeches instead of talking but that's rare. Marshall seems ill at ease in his role but everyone else is dead on target. Especially good are Page who is frightening--you can see her trying not to feel and control everything at the same time. Keaton is just superb--one of her best ever dramatic performances. A highlight is the last sequence between Hurt and Page.

The film sometimes seems over-directed--everything is so precise and ordered but it fits the tone of the movie. Also the ending is a little too pat and Griffith is given nothing to do--I often wonder what she was doing in this.

Still this is an exceptional drama. It's not for everyone--it may be too bleak for most people but I think it's Allen's best drama. A 10 all the way.