It’s hard to play ditzy. … The genius of Annie is that despite her loopy backhand, awful driving, and nervous tics, she’s also a complicated, intelligent woman. Keaton brilliantly displays this dichotomy of her character, especially when she yammers away on a first date with Alvy (Woody Allen), while the subtitle reads, ‘He probably thinks I’m a yoyo.’ Yo-yo? Hardly.
Fashion Icon
Keaton’s eccentric wardrobe in Annie Hall–vintage men’s clothing, including neckties, vests, baggy pants, and fedora hats–made her a fashion icon. Some of her clothes came from Keaton herself, who was already known for her tomboyish style. Ruth Morley designed the movie’s costumes, taking Keaton’s style into consideration. After the film’s release, men’s clothing and pantsuits became popular attire for women.
Douglas Kirkland’s photo of Keaton appeared on the cover Time magazine, September 26, 1977, with the story dubbing her “the funniest woman now working in films.”
Oscar Nominations: 5
Picture, produced by Charles Joffe
Director: Woody Allen
Screenplay (Original): Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman
Actress: Diane Keaton
Actor: Woody Allen
Oscar Awards: 4
Picture
Director
Screenplay
Actress
Oscar Context
Though he didn’t attend the Oscar telecast, Woody Allen became something of a national hero when the film won four Academy Awards.
These included the Oscars for best picture, best director, and best screenplay. Diane Keaton also won the best actress award for her role. Woody Allen was nominated for best actor, but did not win; the winner was Richard Dreyfuss for the Neil Simon’s comedy, “The Goodbye Girl.”
The Best Picture competition in 1977 was rather weak: “Annie Hall” vied for the top award with theatrical comedy “The Goodbye Girl,” Zinnemann’s period melodrama “Julia,” George Lucas’s sci-fi blockbuster “Star Wars,” and Herbert Ross ballet drama “The Turning Point.”
Praise for Annie Hall was almost universal: The comedy had previously won the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Golden Globe awards.
Cast
Alvy Singer (Woody Allen)
Annie Hall (Diane Keaton)
Rob (Tony Roberts)
Robin (Janet Margolin)
Pam (Shelley Duvall)
Tony Lacey (Paul Simon)
Mom Hall (Colleen Dewhurst)
Dad Hall (Donald Symington)
Duane Hall (Christopher Walken)
Running Time: 93 Minutes