That was an excellent one.

So much average

Simply Perfect

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It seems like a running line of commentary I'll be giving Woody Allen films through this retrospective project I've embarked on is that I'm constantly fascinated with the creative ways he opens his films. Bananas isn't started with the Woody Allen voice-over I love so dearly, but it does open with a fantastic scene in which the mood is set for the political comedy we are about to see. I don't need to see any further evidence that Woody Allen is the best film-opener of all time anymore, though I'm sure I will see further proof. The 1971 film, stars Allen as a bumbling New Yorker named Fielding Mellish who is dumped by his girlfriend who wants someone as committed to activism as she is. In an attempt to become more of the political type, Allen's character, a products tester by trade, runs off to San Marcos to expand his leadership potential needed to woo back his ex-girlfriend. While in San Marcos, he joins a team of rebels and accidentally becomes president of the nation. During his time as president, Fielding meets his ex-girlfriend who then falls for him unknowing that it is Fielding. Another installment of sharp ping-pong dialogue with a perfect score makes Bananas a rowdy comedic gem from the master, Woody Allen.

Bananas is a prime example of one of Woody Allen's early 'funnies'. In other words it's a pure comedy it's as simple as that. The story is extremely broad and silly. It's about a product tester from New York who follows a political activist girl he has designs on to the Central American country of San Marcos. Soon, through a series of unbelievable events, he becomes the leader of the revolution and the nation's new dictator.This is far rawer and less refined than Allen's later work and at this stage in his career he was working with lower production values. So it might seem surprisingly basic at times and a little lacking in focus. But within all this, there are plenty of laughs and the more naive presentation is really a bit of a positive really, as it sets Bananas apart from most other Allen movies and gives it more charm. The action jumps from New York to Latin America and back again, so the story structure can be viewed as being made up of three parts. But in essence it's very episodic from start to finish being made up of a collection of comic set-pieces joined together by a loose plot. Some work very well, some not so much and others probably had more relevance back in 1971. But there is more than enough good stuff to satisfy Allen fans, with lots of slapstick, sight gags, light satire and one-liners. It also has, atypically for an Allen flick, a lively original Latin American influenced score. He would soon go on to soundtrack his movies with refined jazz and classical numbers but I personally enjoyed this early diversion from this formula. All-in-all, while he may have went on to make much better films, Bananas remains one of his most uncomplicatedly fun efforts and for this reason it's definitely recommended.

While, in my younger day, I loved these movies, I see now how hit and miss they could be. Woody takes his shtick to a banana republic where there has been a revolution and uses every cliché about how unstable a government can be. He ends up on trial for his life, being confronted by a black woman claiming to be J. Edgar Hoover. Miss America also shows up. There is a consummation of a marriage with commentator (big at the time) Howard Cosell. Anyway, the story is nothing but an excuse for sight gags and silliness. Allen is often at his best in vignettes and this is full of them. As time passed, he became of the world's great directors, but it took time to get the whole package. Actually, when "Annie Hall" came along. See this for a lightweight bunch of laughs and realize that all this stuff is still going on in South and Central America.

Not, in my opinion, one of Woody Allen's best, being not quite as endlessly quotable as Annie Hall, as heart-breakingly truthful as Husbands and Wives, as relateable as Hannah and Her Sisters, as visually beautiful as Manhattan or as ground-breaking as Zelig. But it is tremendously entertaining, very easy to like and is one of Allen's most accessible along with Sleeper and The Purple Rose of Cairo(also great films, especially the latter which is another one of Allen's best). Sure it has some uneven spots, the story does play second fiddle to the gags and does feel rushed with the odd occasion when Allen seemed to be losing control of his material somewhat; the ending personally did fall flat and there are too many copy and paste close-up shots which did have a dizzying effect. For its unevenness though, Bananas still works really well and is a case of being flawed but with the pros outweighing the cons by some considerable distance. The score is very catchy with the odd witty touch and is very fitting, Allen's directing is very competently done though with the understandable- seeing as Bananas was only his third film- sense that he was still properly finding his own voice and he does give a great performance too(one of his funniest actually), here he shows that he is completely at home in comedy without being too self-indulgent regardless of his intentionally neurotic character. The acting generally in Bananas is fine and there is good rapport between everyone with the chemistry between Allen and Louise Lasser quite sweet, though only Allen really stands out. But it is in the dialogue and sight gags that makes Bananas as fun as it is. The dialogue is deliciously biting and smart(though a few parts may not sit well with some today), with the best of the one-liners are unforgettably quotable. And the sight gags and slapstick are easily some of the funniest of any Woody Allen film, the best of which being the subway train, magazine and especially trial scenes. Loved the homages to Ingmar Bergman, Charlie Chaplin and Luis Bunuel too and the title, deriving from banana republics and the Marx Brothers' The Cocoanuts, is equally inspired. All in all, recommended highly, not a masterpiece but with a huge amount to enjoy. 8/10 Bethany Cox