Annie Hall is widely considered Woody Allen’s masterpiece, and for good reason. Some critics focus solely on the aspects of the film that seems to reflect the lives of the two lead actors. Instead, I direct my attention to the cultural importance of Annie Hall. Not only does this film reflect the cultural and intellectual climate of the 70s, it also shaped it in many ways.
Diane Keaton did not win Actress of the Year in 1977 without reason. Her portrayal of Annie is incredibly realistic, it has often been said that the character Annie Hall was based off of Keaton’s own personality. Annie’s clothing style is offbeat and quirky, and became highly influential to the fashion world after the film was released. Her quirks and mannerisms are not only charming, but also revealing of Annie’s deep-seeded insecurity. The audience begins to further understand this personal anxiety when we see Annie and Alfie in bed. Annie is disconnected from the lovemaking, perhaps because of her anxiety. Woody Allen’s performance should not be left by the wayside either. His character, Alfie Singer, is paranoid, pretentious, and depressing, yet he still manages to gain the audiences’ sympathies. Annie Hall’s complexity lies in the complexity of its characters.
Annie Hall is presented as a stream-of-consciousness story as told by Alfie Singer. This style of narrative allows for a surrealistic aspect as Alfie occasionally speaks directly to the camera and narrates the story in a non-linear fashion. Similarly, a tiny portion of the film is animated as Alfie describes his tendencies when falling in love. These stylistic choices were not common before Annie Hall, and they set this film apart from other romantic comedies of the era. The stream-of-consciousness form of Annie Hall has been influential for a plethora of later filmmakers, including Marc Webb with his 2009 rom-com 500 Days of Summer.
Some of the main themes of Annie Hall are the complexity of love and modern psychoanalytical thought of the 70s. From the very beginning of the film, Alfie establishes his trouble with making long-term romantic connections. He tends to lose interest in a girl who is very interested in him. Perhaps this is why Alfie and Annie’s on/off relationship is drawn out so long. The non-committal nature of the relationship keeps things interesting for Alfie. Alfie has also had issues with compatibility in his sex life, and his intimate encounters with Annie are no exception. Despite all of the irrationalities of love, we are also informed of the importance of love. The theme of modern psychology is emphasized through Annie and Alfie’s therapy sessions and also through the way that Alfie often psychoanalyzes other people and places in the film.
Despite its many obscure scholarly and pop culture references, Annie Hall has stood the test of time. This is largely due to the film’s intricate and nuanced dialogue. Screenwriters Woody Allen and Marshall Brinkman avoid stuffy clichés and excessive melodrama. They instead infuse intelligent witticisms and raw emotional conflict into their refreshingly original script. The excessive detail humanizes the characters and also makes the movie more poignant and true to life.
Although Woody Allen has been surrounded by controversy regarding his daughter since the release of Annie Hall, the film should not be dismissed simply because of Allen’s personal life. Annie Hall should be remembered for its ingenious dialogue, quirky characters, and 1970s cultural relevance.
