Beauty vs Beast: Hannah's Sisters
Monday, March 28, 2016 at 3:00PM Jason from MNPP here, looking out across this rainy New York City day and thinking of Woody Allen, as I'm wont to do. Today specifically we're thinking about his great 1986 film Hannah and Her Sisters, because today is the great Dianne Wiest's birthday, and that film won Wiest her first of two much deserved Oscars. (It doesn't hurt that the movie just celebrated its 30th anniversary on March 14th.) So today's edition of our "Beauty vs Beast" series it is!
We're facing off the "and the Sisters" of the title -- Weist as the recovering actress Holly and Barbara Hershey as the brother-in-law snatching Lee. Granted the awardage (and the general consensus that she totally deserved it too) might immediately tilt this contest in Wiest's direction in your mind, but slow yourself and don't make the mistake of under-valuing Barbara Hershey's fine work in the film; she makes the difficult and confused character of Lee pretty darn sympathetic and funny too. Much to my emotional consternation if they made online quizzes asking us which of the three sisters we are in this film I am sure I'd end up being a Lee.
PREVIOUSLY Last week nathaniel took over and delightfully went Full Tabloid, asking you to choose between the recently y'all to choose between the recently fractured power-couple Bennifer 2.0 -- y'all had the good sense to stand with Jennifer Garner to the tune of just under 70% of the vote. Said John T:
""I mean ehh on both of them but Jen seems like a nice person off screen and Ben like a jackass. As they're both gorgeous I will use that as my tiebreaker"
Reader Comments (15)
Weist really is amazing in Hannah and Her Sisters. I didn't care for her character Holly *at all* in the beginning, but man does she have an impressive, if somewhat unbelievable, character arc. To go from bitter and cynical to warm and luminous, without losing her way (or ours), is to be applauded. A true breakout performance. (Hershey is good, too, if a bit histrionic for my taste.)
Impeccable performances both, but Farrow's is way more undervalued and in a role that's marginally less showy, so I vote her.
In that pic of the three sisters, I ALWAYS ALWAYS see Sigourney Weaver instead of Barbara Hershey.
I voted for Holly, a large part of that being the whole Lee secretly sleeping with her sister's husband thing...Holly has her issues but she would never do that to Hannah, but both Weist and Barbara Hershey are absolutely wonderful in the film essaying two complex, difficult women. I also agree with goran that Mia Farrow's work is never given its proper due.
Joel: Me too.
Same here Joel. It frustrated me immensely Weaver's name was no where to be found. As an adult I have to stare at the picture for awhile to see Hershey.
My most favorite Woody Allen movie!
Love this movie and the performances are all impressive and funny.
Between these two, I would pick Holly cause Dianne Weist, holla!
Hershey is amazing as Lee, but girl, don't sleep with your brother in law.
However, between the three sisters I would definitely choose Hannah.
Farrow is so heartwarming in this movie and even though her role is basically the lead, she weirdly has the smallest role.
Where is her Oscar nom, guys?
this was my favorite woody allen movie for a long time but eventually Manhattan and Purple Rose of Cairo overcame it. Still 3rd best masterpiece is pretty good.
I wanted to vote for Hannah! (jk. Holly man all the way, with bonus points for the "I hate April" monologue)
Strangely, even though I first saw Hannah and Her Sisters in 1990, I've only come round to Dianne Wiest's performance in the last few years. Prior to that, I just couldn't quite see why she was so acclaimed and so singled out from the large cast. Now I can: but I'm going to vote for Lee, because I've always found Hershey to be wonderful in this, and I still do, so she wins for longevity! Wiest is great as well, though.
And I echo others' comments about Farrow. So good in this, and even more so in Broadway Danny Rose and The Purple Rose of Cairo.
Hannah and her Sisters is a remake of sorts of Interiors:
* three sisters
* their personalities and situations; jealousy; one feeling overshadowed by the other, etc.
* the affair between one of them and her brother-in-law/one brother-in-law assaults one of the sisters
Why no Mia Farrow (Hannah) ? 😥
I still always see Sigourney Weaver. In fact, it was only when I watched this film for the first time a couple of years ago that is realised it WASN'T Sigourney Weaver.
All 3 are great, but I vote Holly. Dianne Wiest is A grade, makes an unlikeable character so loveable.
To all you Mia lovers A THOUSAND TIMES YES; I guess I just have trouble ever thinking of any Mia Farrow performance as "under-rated" because when I watch a movie with Mia Farrow in it I am rapt and transfixed by her, but yes she is the glue that holds this movie together, for sure.
And I'm a lifelong member of the Mia Fan Club, don't hold it against me that she isn't mentioned here -- it just made sense to focus on the sisters for this two-sided contest is all :)
nice post.....!
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