Hannah (Mia Farrow) is in her second marriage. Her first, to a television director (Woody Allen) ended in divorce, after having a set of twin boys. Now, hubby number two (Michael Caine) is a very successful businessman and she, as a semi-retired, admired actress, can devote more time to other things. You see, everyone else in her extended family depends on her. Sister Lee (Barbara Hershey) is in a longterm relationship with a talented artist (Max Von Sydow), who would rather sell his work to a small circle of fans instead of "going commercial". Thus, Lee is contemplating going back to school so she can earn money, too. The artist is also very reclusive so, at family gatherings, she often arrives alone. Plus, she has a secret admirer in Hannah's husband. Third sister Holly (Diane Wiest) is on shakier ground than Lee. She is a struggling actress/caterer who borrows money from Hannah LOTS. Her catering partner (Carrie Fisher), also a wannebe actress, ends up going after the same men and roles that Holly has her eye on. As a side note, Holly once had a dreadful date with Hannah's ex, after the divorce. Then, too, Hannah's parents, retired, famous thespians, drink too much and, even after 50 years, have big fights. Can Hannah keep solving all of their problems without saving enough time for herself and her marriage? This terrific Allen movie was made more than twenty five years ago but it is still fresh, relevant, and funny. The cast, yes, is wonderful, with many of the players up for major awards. Allen, especially, is very funny as the hypochondriac who tries many religions in a search for serenity. His script, of course, is clever, intelligent stuff while his direction is quite wonderful. As always, the Manhattan setting, costumes, background music, and photography is nice as well. If, you youngster, you, want to begin making your way through the canon of Allen films, you could hardly start with one better than this.
Review of Hannah and Her Sisters
