Hannah And Her Sisters (1986)
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The intertwined lives of three sisters and their families unfold over two years, beginning and ending with Thanksgiving dinners.
The story
The story follows an extended family over a 24-month period, framed by Thanksgiving parties hosted by Hannah and her husband, Elliot. Hannah, a renowned actress who now focuses on her family, serves as the narrative's hub. The plot explores the complex dynamics of her sisters: Lee, who lives with a reclusive artist and begins an affair with Elliot; and Holly, an unsuccessful actress struggling with her career and financial dependency on Hannah. As the sisters navigate their personal lives, romantic entanglements, and professional frustrations, the film explores the deep bonds and tensions within their family unit.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The narrative centers on Hannah, a renowned actress, and her husband Elliot, who host Thanksgiving dinners that bookend a two-year period. The story follows three main arcs. First, Elliot begins an affair with Hannah's sister Lee, who lives with an older reclusive artist named Frederick. Lee eventually ends the affair with Elliot, citing his inability to commit. Second, Hannah's ex-husband Mickey, a television writer, deals with an existential crisis and a fear of a brain tumor, eventually finding meaning through a movie screening of Duck Soup and beginning a relationship with Holly. Third, Holly, an unsuccessful actress and former cocaine addict, struggles with her career and financial dependence on Hannah. She starts a catering business with a friend, April, but they become rivals for roles and the affections of an architect. After being rejected, Holly turns to writing and eventually finds success with a script Mickey helps produce. The film concludes with Lee married to a literature professor, Hannah and Elliot reconciled, and Holly married to Mickey and pregnant.
- First release year
- 1986
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Woody Allen
- Writers
- Woody Allen · writer
- Cast and characters
- Woody Allen; Michael Caine · Elliot; Mia Farrow · Hannah; Barbara Hershey · Lee; Dianne Wiest · Holly; Carrie Fisher; Lloyd Nolan; Maureen O'Sullivan
- Genres
- comedy-drama; independent
- Themes
- Family dynamics; Adultery; Existential crisis; Sisterhood; Mortality
- Tone and mood
- Smart; Tender; Funny; Biting; Profound; Warmly humane
- Premise and plot tags
- Adultery; Sisters; Midlife crisis; Thanksgiving
- Source material / true-story basis
- Inspired by Anna Karenina
- Reception
- The film received universal acclaim, with critics praising its writing and ensemble cast. It was named the best film of the year by a poll of 100 critics and was ranked as one of Allen's finest works by various publications.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 91% · review count: 56; Metacritic · score: 90 · scale: 100 · review count: 12
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · 1986 · Won; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · 1986 · Won; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · 1986 · Won; Academy Award · Best Picture · 1986 · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Art Direction-Set Decoration · 1986 · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Film Editing · 1986 · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Director · 1986 · Nominated; U.S. National Board of Review · Best Director · 1986 · Won; César Award · Best Foreign Film · 1986 · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film's structure was influenced by Ingmar Bergman's Fanny and Alexander.; Woody Allen was inspired to give Hannah two sisters by the title of the film.; The film was the last to win in both supporting acting categories until The Fighter in 2011.; Mia Farrow's real-life apartment was used during shooting.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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