Day 161: A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy

514cuF-lA0LIn this, Woody’s 11th turn behind the camera, we are introduced to Mia Farrow (1945- ), the actress who becomes Woody’s muse for the next several films.

There’s no jazz music in A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy. But there is Classical music. It opens with Mendelssohn’s Wedding March. And closes with another Classical piece the name of which escapes me.

The cast is probably the most attractive and consistent of any Woody movie to date.

Woody Allen … Andrew
Mia Farrow … Ariel
José Ferrer … Leopold (as Jose Ferrer)
Julie Hagerty … Dulcy
Tony Roberts … Maxwell
Mary Steenburgen … Adrian

Wood was 47 in this film. It’s a much happier movie than his last one. Of course, World War II was happier than Stardust Memories.

“Marriage is the death of hope,” says Maxwell (Tony Roberts).

It’s odd to see a movie in which Woody (who plays a quirky inventor in this film) is more positive than other characters. In Midsummer Night’s he’s practically a ray of sunshine, a regret-filled ray of sunshine. But still.

Essentially, this 1982 movie is about Continue reading