Another Woman (1988)

Facing a mid-life crisis, a woman rents an apartment next to a psychiatrist's office to write a new book, only to become drawn to the plight of a pregnant woman seeking that doctor's help.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Gena Rowlands, Mia Farrow, Ian Holm

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gena Rowlands	...	Marion
Mia Farrow	...	Hope
Ian Holm	...	Ken
Blythe Danner	...	Lydia
Gene Hackman	...	Larry
Betty Buckley	...	Kathy
Martha Plimpton	...	Laura
John Houseman	...	Marion's Father
Sandy Dennis	...	Claire
David Ogden Stiers	...	Young Marion's Father
Philip Bosco	...	Sam
Harris Yulin	...	Paul
Frances Conroy	...	Lynn
Fred Melamed	...	Patient's Voice / Engagement Party Guest
Kenneth Welsh	...	Donald

Storyline

Having recently turned fifty, Marion feels that she has led a so far blessed life. The well-respected Dean of Philosophy at a women's college, she is currently on sabbatical to write her latest book. Although her first husband Sam died tragically fourteen years ago from a mixture of alcohol and pills, she has recently remarried to Ken, who, married at the time, pursued her, while Ken's writer friend, Larry, also professed his love for her. She has a good relationship with her step-daughter Laura, seemingly better than Laura has with either Ken or Laura's own volatile mother, Kathy. Between her and her brother Paul, Marion always had the attention of their academic father. And she and Ken have a wide circle of friends with who they regularly and willingly socialize. But a series of incidents with these people in her life makes Marion wonder about the decisions that she's made, most specifically whether her cerebral and judgmental nature has been alienating to those around her. One of ...

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | female writer | interior monologue | therapy session | chance meeting | 

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Taglines:

Relationships and the choices we make in life

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Reportedly, Woody Allen changed his mind several times about the movie's opening shot.

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Goofs

In the credits, Erik Satie's Gymnopédie No. 3 is listed. However, it is Gymnopédie No. 1 which is played in the film.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Marion: [voiceover] If someone had asked me when I reached my fifties to assess my life, I would have said that I had achieved a decent measure of fulfillment, both personally and professionally. Beyond that, I would say I don't choose to delve.

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Connections

References Dreams (1955)

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Soundtracks

Symphony No.4 in G Major
(1901)
Written by Gustav Mahler
Performed by New York Philharmonic (as The New York Philharmonic)
Directed by Leonard Bernstein
Courtesy of CBS Masterworks/Licensed from CBS Special Products/CBS Records Inc.

User Reviews

My brief review of the film

Bergmanesque territory for Allen again, this is an intriguing and well directed film in Bergman's style, however unlike in some of Allen's earlier Bergman ventures this one feels like less of a copy and more so just a unique drama. The film is philosophical without the ideas seeming intangible, and some of the points are very interesting, like how the pain of others can cause one to realise one's own, and how fascinating it is to hear someone else's revelations. It is not a minute too long, and the dialogue is great, but if one was to flaw it, Allen's choice of music seems a little off-balance, the narration is a touch cold, and whilst not bad, the performances are generally rather ordinary. But all these problems are very slight, as the overall production is fascinating and thought-provoking stuff about how one reflects on oneself.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Another Woman

Filming Locations:

Alpine, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$75,196, 16 October 1988

Gross USA:

$1,562,749

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,562,749

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1