Woody Allen's 1986 Hannah and Her Sisters—his biggest success since Annie Hall—finds the writer-director returning to the same general subject matter of modern life and the challenges of sustaining romantic relationships, but this time within the context of family. Siblings Hannah (Mia Farrow), Lee (Barbara Hershey), and Holly (Dianne Wiest) are part of a tightly-knit clan presided over by their often bickering parents, Norma and Evan (Maureen O'Sullivan, Farrow's real-life mother, and Lloyd Nolan). Over the course of two years (marked by three Thanksgiving celebrations), Hannah's husband, Elliot (Michael Caine), falls in love with Lee, who is involved with tortured Soho artist Frederick (Max von Sydow). Meanwhile, Hannah's ex-spouse, Mickey (Allen), renews a relationship with struggling actress Holly. Like most of Allen's characters, all are affluent and intellectually and artistically inclined, and the bittersweet story superbly balances human drama with neurotic comedy (most of it supplied by Mickey, who searches for God through various religions), while displaying a warmth not always seen in Allen's films. Playful, affectionate, and very funny, the film is a lovely celebration of true romance and Allen's belief that the power of laughter can save the human soul. Nominated for Best Picture and Best Director, Caine and Wiest won Academy Awards for their supporting performances, while Allen took home the Oscar for Original Screenplay. Also featuring Lewis Black, Carrie Fisher, Julie Kavner, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah and Her Sisters makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Hannah and Her Sisters
Fox, 107 min., PG-13, Blu-ray: $24.99 Volume 28, Issue 2
Hannah and Her Sisters
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