Another Woman (1988)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

18 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Facing a mid-life crisis, a woman rents an apartment next to a psychiatrist's office to write a new book, only to become drawn to the plight of a pregnant woman seeking that doctor's help.

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Flashback Sequence | Deliberate Cruelty | Hospital Administrator | Melancholy

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Gena Rowlands	...	Marion Post
Mia Farrow	...	Hope
Ian Holm	...	Ken
Blythe Danner	...	Lydia
Gene Hackman	...	Larry Lewis
Betty Buckley	...	Kathy
Martha Plimpton	...	Laura
John Houseman	...	Marion's Father
Sandy Dennis	...	Claire
David Ogden Stiers	...	Young Marion's Father
Philip Bosco	...	Sam
Harris Yulin	...	Paul
Frances Conroy	...	Lynn
Fred Melamed	...	Patient's Voice / Engagement Party Guest
Kenneth Welsh	...	Donald

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Brazil:Livre | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:S | France:U | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Australia:PG (cable rating)

Filming Locations:

Alpine, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions

Trivia:

Hope's name is only referred to twice during the film; the first time it is spoken by Marion, and the second time is when we see it during the closing credits.

Quotes:

Ken: I accept your condemnation.

Movie Connections:

References Smultronstället (1957)

Soundtrack:

Gymnopedies for Piano No. 3

One of Woody's most mature and underrated dramas

There was a certain period in Woody Allen's career when he was trying desperately to imitate Ingmar Bergman's work. It rarely worked, and often turned out disasters like the execrable September. Another Woman is a riff on Bergman's Wild Strawberries: a college professor, played by Gena Rowlands, is past fifty and looking back on and reliving key events in her life as her present life is falling apart. The film is quite stagy at times, just as it was in September, Allen's previous film. He seems to think that adds something, but it really doesn't. One other problem Another Woman has is a couple of very clunky scenes, and a few poor bit performers, which were much bigger problems in September, which was actually the last Allen film that I saw and the one that made me subconsciously avoid him for the past several months. Allen's script here is excellent. He has produced an excellent character study which is probably unsurpassed in all of his other films that I've seen. The lead actors are wonderful here, Rowlands, Ian Holms, Blythe Danner, Sandy Dennis, and Gene Hackman. Allen's use of piano music is beautifully touching. It all adds up to a very touching and sad little film. It might not be Woody's best film, but it ought to be better respected and known. 8/10.