FILM REVIEW: Annie Hall by Simon Barton

Woody Allen's masterpiece is a romantic comedy from a time before the term "rom-com" denoted assembly-line, Hollywood dross. Telling the story of the love affair and break-up of stand-up comic Alvy Singer ( Allen ) and aspiring nightclub chanteuse Annie Hall ( Diane Keaton ), the film is a loosely structured collection of scenes, sketches and anecdotes which Allen and editor Ralph Rosenblum compiled from hours of footage, losing an unwanted murder-mystery plotline in the process.

Probably the most radical of all Allen's movies, Annie Hall is presented in a haphazard, out-of-sequence manner, with abrupt changes in style: characters literally walk into flashbacks to review their own pasts; subtitles contrast Alvy and Annie's dialogue with their inner thoughts; there are animated and split-screen sequences; Allen addresses the audience directly as if in a theatre. All this narrative post-modernism gives the film its drive and underscores the characters' own chaotic lives.

And it's funny, of course. So much of Allen's most famous dialogue comes from this movie that it's an embarrassment of riches, a masterclass in comedy writing. From the poignant humour of Alvy's thoughts on his relationship problems, to the semi-improvised slapstick of "the lobster scene", to the wicked barbs aimed at Los Angeles life, Allen's wit and imagination ignite like fireworks. The affair between Alvy and Annie is believable and touching, from their first, hesitant meeting to their inevitable parting. Diane Keaton gives a warm, kooky performance as Annie and there are fine cameos from Tony Roberts, Carol Kane, Shelley Duvall and a very young Christopher Walken.
A deserved 1977 Oscar-winner, Annie Hall is a romantic comedy with heart, soul and  -  most importantly  -  a brain.