Hannah and Her Sisters

"Hannah and Her Sisters" is an American comedy drama film, directed by Woody Allen, which spans over a period of 12 months, beginning and ending at the Thanksgiving parties hosted by Hannah (Mia Farrow), who's also the story's anchor, and her husband Elliot (Michael Caine), an accountant and a financial planner. Hannah meets her two sisters, Lee (Barbara Hershey) and Holly (Dianne West) on a regular basis to discuss about the events that happened after their last meeting. It's what they don't tell each other that serve as the movie's subplots.

In the beginning of the movie itself, Hannah's voiceover reveals that Elliot has fallen in love with one of her sisters, Lee (Barbara Hershey). It's this angle that serves as the main romantic web in the film. While Elliot attributes the cause of this extra marital affair to Hannah's self sufficiency and Lee, on the other hand, doesn't find the relationship with her husband Frederick (Max Von Sydow) intellectually or sexually stimulating. Holly, an emotionally disturbed personality, a cocaine addict, and an actor by profession is dating Mickey (Woody Allen). He is also Hannah's ex-husband and a TV producer by profession.

An emotional crisis takes hold of Mickey, ending in failed experimentation with religious conversion to Catholicism and Krishna Consciousness, and he eventually tries to commit suicide by shooting himself with a rifle. This too, ends as a failed experiment. Walking aimlessly, Mickey stumbles into a theatre and undergoes a transformation, reminding himself why life is worth living. Soon after, he plans a second date with Holly and their relationship blossoms into love and marriage. The movie ends happily with family's second Thanksgiving, for all the three sisters married and Holly being pregnant with Mickey's child.

Released in 1986 and made of out modest budget of $6.3 million, the movie went on to earn approx $59 million worldwide. It was nominated for 7 Oscars, out of which it earned 3. One award each went in the kitty of Woody Allen, for best screenplay; Michael Caine for Best Supporting Actor; and Diane West for Best Supporting Actress. Many critics even touted it as the best movie ever made by Woody Allen. And was also the biggest box office hit for Woody Allen. Containing nearly equal doses of romance, drama, and comedy; it's a perfect movie to watch on Thanksgiving with your family.