Another Woman **** (1988, Gena Rowlands, Mia Farrow, Ian Holm, Blythe Danner, Gene Hackman, Betty Buckley, John Houseman, Sandy Dennis, David Ogden Stiers, Philip Bosco, Harris Yulin) – Classic Movie Review 6466

Writer-director Woody Allen’s 1988 serious relationships drama stars Gena Rowlands who is superb as Marion, a college professor just turned 50 reassessing her life when she overhears a pregnant woman called Hope (Mia Farrow) in analysis in the neighbouring psychiatrist’s office.

Marion recently remarried to Ken (Ian Holm), and has a good relationship with her step-daughter Laura (Martha Plimpton).

This is a remarkable, impressively serious-minded, character-driven drama from Allen, with an immaculate cast on the right, top form to make it work.

It is a total success artistically but unfortunately it was not a hit thanks to the wider public not taking to Allen being in gloomy, sombre, introspective Ingmar Bergman-style mood. It even uses some story elements from Bergman’s Wild Strawberries (1957). And there is no Allen acting role to help lighten things up and to promote box-office appeal. It cost $10 million and grossed only $1.5 million in the US.

Also in the superlative cast are Blythe Danner, Gene Hackman, Betty Buckley, John Houseman (in his final film), Sandy Dennis, David Ogden Stiers, Philip Bosco and Harris Yulin.

Allen turns in a posh looking film, thanks to cinematography by Sven Nykvist and production designs by Santo Loquasto. It is produced by Jack Rollins, Charles H Joffe and Robert Greenhut. It is the first of four collaborations between Allen and Bergman’s regular cinematographer Nykvist.

Allen recalled the scenes between Rowlands and Hackman, particularly in the flashback of the party, are ‘electrifying’. He says Marion is the character in all his films who most resembles him intellectually.

It followed another Allen-made serious drama September (1987), in which he also did not appear, and which also flopped.

Farrow was to play Marion, but she was pregnant with Ronan Farrow. Dianne Wiest was to play Hope, but withdrew through illness. It is Farrow’s eighth of 13 movies with Allen.

David Ogden Stiers (1942–2018).

RIP David Odgen Stiers, fondly remembered as Major Charles Winchester in TV’s M*A*S*H, who died on 3 March 2018, aged 75, after a battle with bladder cancer. He voiced many animated films, with Lilo & Stitch (2002) his 25th theatrically released Disney animation.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6466

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com