by Luanne Paul King

November 2010 — This American comedy-drama was shot in Manhattan, written and directed by Woody Allen. It portrays one family’s Thanksgiving celebration and the months leading to the next Thanksgiving. Allen plays Mickey, a neurotic and comedic character, like those Allen plays in his other films. Mickey is a TV producer, held together by a competent assistant, Gail (Julie Kavner).

The film opens with preparations for a lavish Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Hannah (Mia Farrow) and her husband, Elliot (Michael Caine). Hannah is the reliable and self-sufficient member of the family, and well-known as an actress. She received great reviews for her portrayal of Nora in A Doll’s House. Her sister Lee (Barbara Hershey) has been living with Soho artist Frederick (Max von Sydow) for five years, but is now dissatisfied with the relationship. After Lee leaves Frederick, she has a secret liaison for a few months with Elliot, Hannah’s husband.

In flashbacks, Mickey shows us scenes from his previous experiences with marriage to Hannah and his scary dates with Hannah’s other sister Holly (played by Dianne Wiest). Holly is addicted to cocaine. Mickey is a hypochondriac and is always concerned about any sign of a medical problem — even if there is no problem. We watch him endure every known medical test, getting a clean bill of health each time. When he complains about a black speck on his back, Gail reassures him the speck is on his shirt.

With all his fears of death, Mickey turns doggedly to investigating religious conversions — first to Catholicism and then Krishna Consciousness — but no redeeming salvation seems certain to Mickey. However, after taking a long walk, he enters a movie theater showing the Mark Brothers’ Duck Soup. The film reminds him that life is worth living, in the here and now. He plans to ask Holly to go out again. How does that turn out?

Who is Holly? We already know she has been an actress and still auditions for roles. She has written a script, but when Hannah reads it, she’s furious with Holly. She exclaims that it’s too revealing about their family. So Holly writes a story about her own life and gives it to Mickey to read. He loves it and promises to get it produced as a play.

When the next Thanksgiving arrives, Hannah and her sisters’ lives have been changed, as have the lives of other members of their families. The sisters have met each week to share their experiences about their lives, loves and (fewer) infidelities. The dinner was filmed in Mia Farrow’s own home in Manhattan. A festive atmosphere prevailed. A lovely surprise was Hannah’s parents, played by Lloyd Nolan and Maureen O’Sullivan (Farrow’s real mother), providing good dialogue.

The film won many awards for the actors, producers, writers and director Woody Allen.

103 minutes. PG-13. Available on DVD.