On top of that, writers usually get plenty of time to do re-writes to polish their output, and both stage and screen acting and directing allows for multiple rehearsals and retakes until they get the “right” result.

The only other places in our lives where we get to look so accomplished and capable is after long and detailed study of a given domain – a form of rewriting and rehearsing our lives.

TommyJay:

Quite so. Whatever else, Allen had an astonishing arc from comedy writer to comedian to actor to director and made it look inevitable.

Bob Odenkirk of “Breaking Bad” hit that quadfecta too, but not so major.

Having watched it again perhaps 10 or 15 years ago, the comedy did seem rather sophomoric. Although, I was nearly a high school sophomore when I first saw it.

It’s also interesting that the story was originally a Woody Allen stage play, then directed on the screen by Herbert Ross, with Allen starring. I find the stories of creative writers who make the difficult jump from stage or screen writing to film directing quite fascinating.

https://youtu.be/jUkqho3OUos?si=Du2-Zk6Aiv0Ch8-H

I feel like I lost a dear friend.

Keaton and Woody are visiting her white-bread family. Walken, her brother named Duane, confesses his urge to Woody, that when driving he has the urge to drive head-on into an oncoming car. Followed by his description of the shattered glass and leaping flames.

Woody responds, “I have to go now, Duane, because I’m due back on Planet Earth.”

Soon after Woody and Keaton are in a car with Walken driving in the pouring rain. Woody is terrified.

One of the small rewards of “Annie Hall.” 🙂

Yes. People often forget that one. But it showed her range and her courage in taking roles .

Yes, neo. That classic scene from the very mainstream hit “Baby Boom”(1987) is a comedy built out of second wave feminist dilemma that “you can’t have it all”!

Even though the feminist line that’s sold is “of course, you can!” The Superwoman can have a high achieving career and motherhood, if she chooses. And should.

Hence, the premise is about a workaholic NYC corporate ladder climber has a stuffy and insufferable BF.

Failure leads her to retreat and become unxpectedly overwhelmed by an old house and more in Vermont, and yet struggle to find herself (and this just when Vermont was becoming fashionable with urban New Yorkers).

Complications are endured, and when life gives her lemons, makes lemonade!

Thus, in the classic screwball comedy Hollywood way, she threads the needle of this New Woman’s goals, and again faces her core lifestyle dilemma anew in corporate New York City….What does she choose to do?

It’s a good, heartfelt dilemma the ambitious and overachieving female can identify with even today. Even though such honest self-confrontation has lapsed among the young.

It’s so sad that Hollywood has retreated from universal morality tales like this one.