Interiors

Pros: outstanding performances and cinematography
Cons: Renata's monologues, a bit jumpy, without much catharsis

I saw "Interiors" on its theatrical release in 1978. Having seen most of Ingmar Bergman's movies at the time, it was obvious to me then that Woody Allen was trying to make an American "Bergman film," with very heavy (obvious) influences of "Cries and ...

Pros: Powerful, painfully emotional film with tremendous performances
Cons: probably ends up being too slow moving for some

In 1978, Woody Allen released his first true dramatic film, Interiors. The recent success of Annie Hall - which had garnered Oscars for both Best Picture and Best Director the previous year - allowed Allen the complete artistic...

Pros: cast
Cons: script, direction, characters

It's hard to believe that Woody Allen's biggest box office flop, Interiors, was the film immediately following his biggest commercial success, Annie Hall (1977). And it's hard to believe that his worst movie, Interiors, was the...

Pros: -
Cons: -

Interiors. Woody Allen's ultra-serious Bergman-esque family drama offers little comedy, and thus no room for Allen the actor. E.G. Marshall is cast as a sixty-ish father who creates a stir when he announces he wants a "trial separation" from his longtime wife (Geraldine Page). A perfectionist interior designer, she clings to the notion that a reconciliation is possible, even as the rest of the family no doubt realize that's an unlikely scenario. The three grown-up daughters, none of whom seem happy, are all artistically inclined. There's an "award-winning" poet (Diane Keaton), a cocaine-snorting TV actress (Kristin Griffith), and a wannabe photographer (Mary Beth Hurt, accent on "hurt"). The symbolism on display here is of the obvious sort: grey clothing and neutral interiors (earth tones) represent the smothering old mother, while the father's new love interest, a lively "vulgarian," favors red. This new mother will literally breathe life back into the most distraught daughter by picture's end. I get it, I get it already. With Maureen Stapleton, Richard Jordan and Sam Waterston.