Radio Days (1987)

A nostalgic look at radio's golden age focusing on one ordinary family and the various performers in the medium.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Mike Starr

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mike Starr	...	Burglar
Paul Herman	...	Burglar
Don Pardo	...	'Guess That Tune' Host
Martin Rosenblatt	...	Mr. Needleman
Helen Miller	...	Mrs. Needleman
Danielle Ferland	...	Child Star
Julie Kavner	...	Tess, the mother
Julie Kurnitz	...	Irene
David Warrilow	...	Roger
Wallace Shawn	...	Masked Avenger
Mick Murray	...	Avenger Crook (as Michael Murray)
William Flanagan	...	Avenger Announcer
Seth Green	...	Joe
Michael Tucker	...	Martin, the father
Josh Mostel	...	Abe

Storyline

Woody Allen's sentimental reminiscence about the golden age of radio. A series of vignettes involving radio personalities is intertwined with the life of a working class family in Rockaway Beach, NY circa 1942.

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Plot Keywords:

1940s | coney island brooklyn | radio city music hall | new york city | radio | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Italian

Release Date:

30 January 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Días de radio

Filming Locations:

Radio City Music Hall - 1260 6th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,522,423, 1 February 1987, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$14,792,779

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions,Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie features a large number of guest star cameo appearances.

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Goofs

The song sung by Frank Sinatra on screen in the scene at Radio City Music Hall, "If You Are But a Dream," [written by Moe Jaffe (my father), Nat Bonx, and Jack Fulton], was published in 1942, after the supposed date of the event portrayed. Additionally, the particular recording used in the film dates from 1944.

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Quotes

Sally: Who is Pearl Harbor?

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Connections

Featured in The Roth Show: FM Underground Radio (2013)

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Soundtracks

One, Two, Three, Kick
(1933-42)
Music by Xavier Cugat
Lyrics by Al Stillman
Performed by Xavier Cugat on radio
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

Woody Allen's own "Amarcord"

Radio Days (1987)- written, directed, and narrated by Allen:

What a beautiful, kind, gentle, ironic, warm, sentimental (in a very good way and yes, I am talking about Woody Allen's movie, that's right) yet perfectly balanced delight. It is a series of sketches about young Joe (young Allen, of course, played by Seth Green - that was a surprise), an adolescent in Brooklyn, NY during 1930s-1940s who was passionately in love with radio which was a king. The film is a tribute to the magical radio days and the myths and legends about radio personalities, the memory of a grown man who never forgot where he came from, the love letter to his always fighting and arguing ("I mean, how many people argue over oceans?") but loving relatives and a very funny comedy (the way only Allen's comedy can be). It is the film where pretty like a doll and painfully naive Sally (Mia Farrow) asks who Pearl Harbor is? Where gorgeous Diane Keaton sings and Diane Wiest, his beloved Aunt Bea never gives up hope of one true love. He never told us if she found it...

"I never forgot that New Year's Eve when Aunt Bea awakened me to watch 1944 come in. I've never forgotten any of those people or any of the voices we would hear on the radio. Though the truth is, with the passing of each New Year's Eve, those voices do seem to grow dimmer and dimmer."

The Radio days are gone but thanks to Allen, the voices of the times passed are still clear and sound and they always will be.

9/10