ANNIE HALL

ANNIE HALL – 1977
Directed by Woody Allen

If Hitchcock was famous for always making cameos in his films, Woody Allen is famous for not staying out of the entire two hours. He hasn’t starred in every film he’s made, but his presence even while off the screen is undeniable. Allen started off as a writer and stand-up comedian before picking up some minor acting roles, but he always hated working with other people’s material so he committed to writing, directing and starring in his own films – makes artistic vision a lot easier, doesn’t it? And, artistic vision is something Woody Allen has never seemed short of. His films are often unconventional and imaginative, breaking the rules in ways that are both unexpected and purposeful. I think this works because most of his films, even the comedies, deal with characters who are frustrated or at their wit’s end, therefore, the unexpected seems like a viable option. If Allen could have, he probably would have patented “angst”. His main characters, again – often played by Allen – are the poster-children for existential crisis. They struggle, they search and they often come up empty, but Allen, more than most filmmakers, is incredibly attuned to the connection between the tragic and the comedic.

Annie Hall is often described as story about “love in modern times”, but I think this is a bit oversimplified and suffers from the kind of unwarranted nostalgia that always casts a false glow on “un-modern times”; as if love now is drastically different from love 100 years ago. I think the feeling and expression of love hasn’t changed, but people often confuse love for commitment, and I would agree that we are certainly less patient, especially with marriage, but to me, the “love” exhibited in Annie Hall is authentic because it is so easily recognizable as love, even though neither character ever says, in a straightforward way, “I love you”. I would also argue that Annie Hall is essentially a film the chronicles the struggle to create something meaningful. But not just something meaningful, something meaningful that lasts. As you watch the film, I would like you to keep this idea in mind – that this film is about the joy and the anxiety of creating something: in this case, a relationship between two people.

In your journal, I would like you to address the comments made in the previous paragraph – in specific – What you think of Annie and Alvy’s relationship? Where you see the joy? What are the sources of anxiety? And, what is the film’s or Allen’s overall commentary about relationships? With all this talk about “creating” and “anxiety”, it’s important to note that this is also a rather entertaining and funny film as well. That said, describe at least one scene you find funny or amusing and at least one scene you find imaginative or unexpected. Be sure to describe the scenes in detail.