In association with

Husbands And Wives [1992]
from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
starring Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Sydney Pollack, Judy Davis, Juliette Lewis
directed by Woody Allen

Features:

• Dubbed
• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

In Husbands and Wives, another typical Woody Allen exploration of relationships between screwed-up New Yorkers, the drama centres on two married couples who have been close friends for years. When Jack and Sally (Sydney Pollack and Judy Davis) announce they're breaking up, it exposes the cracks in the relationship between Gabe and Judy (Allen and Mia Farrow). The shenanigans that result are touching, funny and horribly true to life. Jack finds himself a cliché trophy blonde, Sam--an aerobics instructor--and thinks he's got it made until she expounds the eternal truths of astrology to his friends, humiliating him in the process; Gabe, meanwhile, finds himself increasingly drawn to his precocious student, Rain--beautifully portrayed by Juliette Lewis--while Judy and Sally get involved with the same guy (though not simultaneously), the shy but alluring Michael (Liam Neeson). The touch of genius is to have an off-screen narrator, with whom the main characters share their innermost thoughts, thus drawing the viewer right into the emotional heart of the movie. This is vintage Woody, with gentle but witty observations of human failings.

On the DVD: Husbands and Wives is delivered in widescreen with a Dolby Digital soundtrack. The only extra features are trailers for both this and Allen's previous movie, Manhattan Murder Mystery. In addition the audio set-up option is in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Finnish. --Harriet Smith

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

• an interesting film rather than a humorous or involving one
  I think this is an interesting film to watch rather than a very humorous or involving one.It will appeal mainly to people who are forty years or older who can understand and relate to the mid-life crises of the main protaganists.One married couple's marriage falls apart and then their friends start to think about their own marriage and that falters too.
  Woody Allen plays a university professor of literature whose wife secretly writes poetry but thinks he is so critical that she is too scared to show... more info

• Just not talked about enough
  A latter day remnant from Woody's so-called 'serious' period, 'Husbands and Wives' appeared a fair few years after the likes of 'Hannah and Her Sisters' and 'Crimes and Misdemeanors'. And it's brilliant. I've always preferred Woody Allen's human dramas, with their understated wit and uncompromising scrutiny, to his earlier slapstick fare but he's the greatest filmmaker I have ever had the privilege to watch and all his work has something to recommend it.
  'Husbands and Wives' is clearly influenced by... more info

• Complex and intriguing - Woody Allen on top form!!
  Woody Allen is simply one of the best directors that has ever graced this great planet of ours. This film is again confirmation not only of his talent, but of his intellectual diversity and creative range.

  This film does not eschew depicting the difficulties all relationships eventually must confront. Its portrayal of partnership problems is to say the least, uncomfortable, if not painful. Though, what do you expect? Allen is the master of interpersonal relationship analysis - this being again, another... more info

• Uncomfortable viewing: Allen's best 1990's work.
  Husbands & Wives became infamous, being Allen's most recent film around the point of the Farrow/Song-Li debacle; was his art mirroring life? (Allen's answer appears to be in the caustic Stardust Memories-retread Deconstructing Harry). Regardless of the events in Allen's real life, this is still uncomfortable viewing.

  The editing (by Susan E Morse) is wonderful here, complementing Carlo Di Palma's photography- the verite stylings would exhibit severe influence in the future- from TV series This Life... more info

Similar Products:

More from Amazon